LAST Thursday’s Treo Eile show at Emerald Equestrian outside Enfield proved a huge success with the feature competition, the Pro/Celebrity Thoroughbred Classic, a team event, being won by the Forans-sponsored Jonbons who completed on a score of zero.
The quartet were led by leading amateur jockey Aine O’Connor who provided the discard score when picking up 24 faults on Dubai Flyer, a Dubai Destination gelding who ran three times without distinction in the summer of 2017 when trained by Noel Kelly.
The nine-year-old bay is now eventing with Co Donegal veterinary nurse, and Letterkenny Riding Club member Suzanne Deeney Wylie.
Co Tipperary’s Lucia Keane was the pony rider on the team and she posted an excellent clear on board her mother Susan’s Grade A gelding Ravara Mohawk.
This 11-year-old Rosedale Red Robin bay was first produced in 2016 by John and Margery Adams’s granddaughter, Maisie, who then handed over the ride to her sister Lauren.
Also going clear was Tally Ho Stud-based amateur event rider and physiotherapist Rachael O’Callaghan (née Moorhead). She partnered the six-year-old Canford Cliffs gelding Justbecool who, first trained by Dot Love and then by Ciaran Murphy, ran 15 times on the track.
The bay, who retired from racing in November last year, was placed once in a bumper and twice over hurdles, finishing third under Jody McGarvey in a two-mile, three-furlong handicap at Downpatrick in March 2021. Justbecool only once finished outside the top six in eight completed starts under Eventing Ireland rules since commencing his second career in late April.
Sealed
Victory was sealed for the Jonbons when Newcastle, Co Dublin’s Ian Cassells was clear in 37.10 on Daly Dilemma.
Ireland’s leading event rider of 2022, Ian rounded off an excellent season when finishing fifth, and best of the Irish, on Rosconnell Alto in the CCI3*-L for seven-year-olds at the world breeding championships for young event horses at Le Lion d’Angers, France in October.
Another horse once trained by Ciaran Murphy, Mickey Love’s Daly Dilemma is a six-year-old by Elusive Pimpernel who pulled up on both of her starts in point-to-points in 2021. She failed to reach the placings in seven outings in affiliated events this year.
Ian, who is ranked 59th in the world, has a connection to racing as he breaks and schools horses for former show jumper Danielle Quinlivan, the breeder of Banbridge. The winners were presented with the Horse Racing Ireland perpetual cup and many prizes provided by Connolly’s Red Mills.
Second place in the team challenge when to the Equilume-sponsored Lagoons who, captained by Robbie Power, completed on four faults in 87.20.
Their final rider was Co Antrim’s Lucca Stubington who recorded a superb clear in 28.24 on board Kessler who she has competed four times under EI rules, only once finishing outside the top five.
The seven-year-old Flemensfirth gelding finished well down the field when running twice in bumpers for the Stuart Crawford yard in 2020.
Pole down
Dual champion apprentice Dylan Browne McMonagle had a pole down when making his indoor show jumping debut on the five-year-old Camacho gelding Cobb And Co.
First to jump in the 10-team competition, the Donegal native captained the BBA Ireland-sponsored Blackbeards whose fourth rider, Newcastle, Co Down-based Emma Newsman also picked up four faults with the unraced 14-year-old Siberian gelding, Kilcooley Michael, who she events at CCI4* level.
Two poles
As a member of the Weatherbys-sponsored Westovers team, Jonny Steele lowered two poles on the former Anthony Mulholland-trained Cantseeforlooking who finished down the field in two runs in bumpers and two outings on the flat before being retired early in 2018.
This 10-year-old Trans Island mare also competed in the day’s opening competition, the Clipper Logistics Thoroughbred Finale sponsored by Plusvital where, with four faults over two rounds, she finished sixth of the 16 starters under her owner, Emma Thompson.
The Belfast competitor had a second ride however and she claimed the spoils when recording a double clear on the former Des Donovan-trained Mauras Way, a six-year-old Getaway mare whose show jumping record is already far better than her six-race career on the track. Cobb And Co, who was also clear, finished second here under his owner, Sadhbh Tormey, while, with a pole down, Karen Ferris placed fourth on the six-year-old Shantou gelding Our Father.
At the London International Horse Show on Monday evening, the Jockeys Challenge was won by the ‘boys’ team. This was captained by 20-time British jump jockeys champion, Co Antrim-born A.P. McCoy while among his teammates was the dual and reigning champion, Co Armagh’s Brian Hughes.