WICKLOW veterinary surgeon Michael O’Toole may have had to endure a 3am start to the day, but the pain was eased when he racked up his second win of the day in the opening ISH class for seven- and eight-year-olds (EI 115). Riding First Obama, a horse bought from his breeders as a three-year-old, O’Toole won on his first phase mark of 28.2.

“The early mornings don’t get any easier, but I haven’t won for a bit so I’ll take this on a roll!” he said. The Diarado-sired gelding, who was bred by Michael Kelly in Co Clare and sourced through Martin Walsh, is not over big, but has great potential. “I’m in no hurry with him. Happy to consolidate what I have.”

As the runner-up, the ever-consistent Steven Smith was also fault-free with Mike Of Mourne, as was third-placed Ian Cassells (Woodendfarm Jack O D).

Nicola Ennis and the Glynn family of Killossery have enjoyed a long association, so it was apt that Ennis should win the six-year-old sector with Laura Glynn’s home-bred Killossery Kitten by Mr Big Cat. The mare is one of numerous graded progeny out of the grade A jumper Killossery Kruisette (Cruising) and is a sibling to the Lanaken world champion Killossery Kaiden (1.50m) as well as a further five international performers.

“Laura was always keen to breed one out of the mare, specifically to event,” said Ennis.” There is no great hurry with her, as Laura is keen to take her time and looking to go on to the bigger stuff.” All six completed, with Ian Cassells filling second with Rosconnell Alto.

Straightforward

In the five-year-old class, the red ribbon went to Alana-Rose Steele riding her own MBF Lord Lancer Bobbie. A winner at Ballindenisk two weeks earlier, the gelding was sourced as a three-year-old from Brian Flynn and Meabh Bolger and, bred by John Glennon, is the sole recorded progeny by Fly Away Ali (by Castleforbes Lord Lancer) out of Blakeney Diamond. The track proved ideally straightforward for these youngsters, and with all nine returning without incident, second spot fell once again to Ian Cassells with BDE Olympic Royale, from the recent Gain league winners Meabh Bolger and MBF Back To Back.

The show jumping was the influential factor among the eight runners in the ISH class for five- and six-year-old ponies. With only two double clears, the class was turned on his head, and the eventual honours fell to the clean-jumping pairing of Aoife O’Brien and Rosscon Mia (Manor Glen). Bred, as his name suggests by PJ Watson senior, the winner headed the recently crowned The Irish Field Junior Event Rider of the Year Godfrey Gibbons with Milchem Mischief.