Despite the great season being enjoyed by former Meath Pony Club member Robert Power, only one current member of the Branch took part in the Pony Club race staged by the Meath and Tara Hunts following their joint point-to-point at Fairyhouse on Sunday.

The organisers were indebted to the Kildare Pony Club who supplied seven of the 10 budding young jockeys for this Connolly’s Red Mills four-furlong flat race including the successful Charlie O’Dwyer. The 14-year-old, who rode his new pony Bondi Beach, is a son of former top jockey Conor O’Dwyer who gave all the riders some pre-race instructions.

Charlie is a regular participant in these races but so too is the Ward Union Branch’s Alex Harvey (13) who got a flyer at the start on his well-known 20-year-old mare Zola Bud. This tactic looked like being successful until O’Dwyer loomed up close home and the five-year-old grey gelding Bondi Beach had his head in front when it mattered.

Also riding for the Wards, Conor McGrath (12) finished third on his 13-year-old bay mare Mary while the Meaths were represented by Jack Kearney (11) who rode 20-year-old Goldie, the smallest pony in the race at just 12.2hh. The other Kildare members were Liam Browne (15), George Conolly-Carew (13), Andrew Carroll (12), Max Ross (13), Abi Plunkett Laffin (12) and Niamh Flinter (14).