Margie McLoone

GORESBRIDGE Go For Gold Sale graduates have been in excellent form in recent weeks on both sides of the Atlantic and in various disciplines.

Cooley SRS (2011) and Castlerichmond SRS (2012) were well-placed in the world young event horse championships at Le Lion d’Angers in France, while last weekend Copper Beech (2011), winner earlier in the year of the Jersey Fresh CCI***, narrowly failed to land a similar event at Galway Downs in California.

Gortglas Rinarinca (2012) crowned a superb season in the show ring when claiming the lightweight hunter championship at the Horse of the Year Show in Birmingham and SRS Status (2012) has been flying the flag for the sale on the home show jumping circuit.

A feature of the sale’s three-year-old section is the link with the Dublin Horse Show as the winner (Annsfort Quality, Lot 45), third (Night Quality, Lot 40), fourth (Kilcarna Roy, Lot 44) and fifth-placed (Glenkeeran Remy, Lot 42) geldings in the potential event horse class at the RDS in August have been entered by connections.

The catalogued 63 lots were chosen by Clare Ryan, Sally Parkyn and Chris Ryan along with guest selectors Michael Ryan, Ciaran Glynn and Captain Geoff Curran.

OLDER GELDINGS

Lot 1 The Irish Ambassador, reg 7yo gr 168cms by Cruisings Ambassador (dam by Puissance). One of two seven-year-olds in the sale, he only began eventing this year but posted five top six placings from his last five starts. His dam, Puissance Lady, is a half-sister to the Irish Sport Horse stallion Yeats (by Cruising) and comes from the family of international show jumpers HHS 007 and HHS Mastermind.

Lot 3 Ferros Flight, reg 6yo bl 168cms by S Creevagh Ferro (dam by Tara Flight). A real eye-catcher, since the start of the year he has competed in 14 events at pre-novice and novice level, mainly finishing on his dressage score.

Lot 14 BGS Class Affair, reg 5yo ch 163cms by OBOS Quality 004 (dam by Laughton’s Flight).Talented as both an eventer (11 points from five novice starts) and as a show jumper (47 points, he jumped a clear round at Dublin).

Lot 15 Darustud Cooley, reg 5yo b 165cms by Ulatermo (dam by Newmarket Venture). The winner of an intro and pre-novice competition on his only two Eventing Ireland starts.

Lot 16 Kiltroms Limzed, reg 5yo b 168cms by Limmerick (dam by Ricardo Z). A winner and sixth on his two pre-novice starts, he has 34 Show Jumping Ireland points. From the family of two-star international eventer Kaleidoscope.

Lot 20 Killbunny Now Or Never, reg 5yo b 168cms by Desir du Chateau (dam by Cavalier Royale). A winner of the Stepping Stones final last year, Richie O’Hara’s home-bred was second in his National Eventing Discovery class at Millstreet; posted three double clears in his three SJI outings. Half-brother to promising show jumper Killbunny Vassili (by Ars Vivendi).

OLDER MARES

Lot 4 Kilrodan Sailorette, reg 6yo ch 160cms by Boherdeal Clover (dam by Cruising). John Craig’s home-bred winner of the small event horse class at the RDS in August, she has only once been out of the first five in seven EI starts, never having a jumping fault.

Lot 5 OBOS Primadonna, reg 6yo b 160cms by OBOS Quality 004 (damsire not recorded). Fifth on her only start in an intro class, she has 45 SJI points. She is a full-sister to OBOS Impressive, winner of the five-year-old young event horse class at the RDS and the two-star international eventer OBOS Pepperpot (a Go For Gold graduate). Her dam, OBOS Nancy Broone, is a half-sister to the international three-star eventer OBOS Raphael (by OBOS Quality).

Lot 11 Shannondale Julia, reg b 168cms by Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan (dam by High Roller). Winner of her National Eventing Discovery class at Millstreet.

FOUR-YEAR-OLD

GELDINGS

Lot 24 Kilgarron Quality, reg ch 165cms by OBOS Quality 004 (dam by AldatusZ).Won a leg of the Stepping Stones league and a Future Event Horse League qualifier. Third in the Masterclass at Camphire international event. Dam, KEC Pineapple, full-sister to Grade A show jumper KEC Purple Pineapple and to the US-based jumper KEC Pineapple Swirl.

Lot 30 My Morris, reg b 170cms by Ghareeb (dam by Master Imp). Valerie Breen’s home-bred has won 17 SJI points and competed in two EI intro classes. His dam, Banglestown Imp, who was a champion show mare both in-hand and under saddle, is a full-sister to international three-star eventer Imperial Trump and to the dam of three-star show jumper Fly With Me.

Lot 33 Baxters Bank, reg ch 168cms by Carlo Bank (dam by Ceredigion). Winner of the Traditional Irish Horse Association performance class at Limerick show.

Lot 36 Gorsehill Lobo, reg b 165cms by VDL Arkansas (dam by Master Imp).Home-bred by Anne Bannon, this bay finished on his dressage score in four of his five intro classes. His is a full-brother to the international three-star eventer Goreshill Star and a half-brother to Gorsehill Echo (by Clover Echo) who is eventing at intermediate level in Britain.

FOUR-YEAR-OLD FILLIES

Lot 28 Ashburton, reg br 165cms by Pacino (dam by Tax Trends). The winner of an FEHL qualifier at Forth Mountain, she finished fourth in her young event horse class at Dublin.

THREE-YEAR-OLD

GELDINGS

Lot 39, reg b 168cms by Loughehoe Guy (damsire not recorded). Won his qualifier for the potential event horse class at the RDS and the potential competition horse class at Limerick Show.

Lot 44 Kilcarna Roy, reg b 165cms by Mermus R (dam by Condios). Fourth in the potential event horse class at Dublin. His dam, Kilcarna Lady, is a half-sister to international three-star eventer Chase The Moon (by Royal Persian).

Lot 45 Annesfort Quality, reg br 168cms by OBOS Quality 004 (dam by Tapian). Patricia Lalor’s home-bred winner of the potential event horse class in Dublin, he is out of a thoroughbred mare, Laurel Leaf, who was placed three times in point-to-points.

Lot 49 Shannondale Warren, reg b 165cms by Hannival v Overis Z (dam by Kings Master). Martin Walsh’s half-brother to the promising British event mare Shannondale Lily (by Lux Z). His dam, Ballymurphy Star, is a full-sister to last year’s Go For Gold graduate Ballymurphy Mark, who is now a member of the Czech Hatla Event Team, and a half-sister to the Grade B show jumper Ballymurphy Rose (by Puissance). Family of Rioghan Rua, Mrs Quinn, etc.

Lot 56, reg ro 170cms by Corland (dam by Cruising).Sean Stafford’s home-bred is a half-brother to promising show jumper Altaskin Alibi (by Luidam) while his dam, Cruising Galway Girl, is a full-sister to the Luhmuhlen CCI4* winner Mr Cruise Control, the world’s top Irish-bred event horse in 2013.

Lot 57, reg b 168cms by Diamond Roller (dam by Osilvis). A full-brother to international two-star eventer Cooley Cross Border (second recently at Fair Hill) and to the 2012 Go For Gold graduate Rock And Roller who is eventing in Italy. Family also of three-star show jumper Royal Anthem.

Lot 58 Rossa Bill, reg b 168cms by Flex A Bill, aka Flexible, (dam by Limmerick). Dam, Femme Fatale M2S, is a half-sister to leading sire Renkum Englishman (by Renkum Arturo) and to the Nations’ Cup/Grand Prix show jumper and sire Ringfort Cruise (by Cruising).

Lot 60 Bonmahon Boy Blue, reg gr 168cms by Bonmahon Master Blue (dam by Duca di Busted). A half-brother to international three-star show jumper Caislean An Ri (by Flagmount King). Dam, Bonmahon Mermaid, is half-sister to Nations’ Cup show jumper and sire Coolcorron Cool Diamond. Family of advanced eventer King George II.

Lot 61 Diamond Cruise Nazar, reg gr 168cms by Nazar (dam by Cruising).Half-brother to four-star eventer Master Crusoe (by Master Imp), international two-star eventer Carden Imp (Master Imp) and Grand Prix show jumper Ballypatrick Esperanza (by Cavalier Royale). Family also of two-star show jumper Rainman.

THREE-YEAR-OLD FILLIES

Lot 50 Glensensaw Sweet Girl, reg b 165cms by Uskerty Sweet Lad (dam by Bonnie Prince). What’s rare is wonderful and this is the sole three-year-old filly in the sale. Martin Hennessy’s home-bred is out of a full-sister to former top show hunter Glen Sensaw.