THREE horses who had previously qualified for Dublin topped Section B of the five-year-old class at the penultimate leg of the Young Event-Horse series in Tullylish on Wednesday.

Ian Cassells took the honours with the Bridget McGing-owned and bred Pointilliste gelding Master Point (407.55) ahead of Ballyvillane Obos (398.90) and Derena Super Star (397.30) who were both ridden by Daniel Alderson for Richard Ames.

The trio are also leading the way in the Horse Sport Ireland-sponsored league but here Alderton is on top with Ballyvillane Obos (28 points) and third with Derena Super Star (17), while Master Point, who is out of the CCI2* mare Chikari (by Kings Master) is sandwiched between the pair on 20. Here, the marks for thoroughbred could well have an effect if the same three were fighting it out in Dublin as Master Point gets 8.80 marks compared to Ballyvillane Obos’s 4.40 and Derena Super Star’s 4.30.

Wednesday’s first qualifying ticket went to Sarco To Perfection (396.65), a home-bred Shannondale Sarco ST Ghyvan gelding out of a Cruising mare who was ridden by Nicola Ennis for Clarinbridge’s Oliver Walsh, with Kelley Hutchinson claiming the second on her father Ollie’s HSH Piccini (396.15), a Dignified van’t Zorgvliet gelding who was bred in Co Wexford by Marie and Peadar Carter out of a Moshaajir mare.

Before she had even started her round, one bystander not only opined that Sarah Ennis would win the class on Stellor Quick Change (who had qualified at Scarteen) but he informed those within earshot that we were looking at the Dublin champion!

Well, he was correct on the class win as the Olympic Lux gelding did come out on top on 403.75 points, ahead of the previously-qualified Fernhill Candy Crush (400.55), a Sligo Candy Boy gelding ridden for Carol Gee by Fraser Duffy. While the runner-up picked up just 1.30 points for thoroughbred blood, the winner, who was bred by his owner, Ennis’s husband Niki Potterton, out of a thoroughbred mare by Religiously, received 7.50.

Stellor Quick Change has yet to compete in an Eventing Ireland competition but Fernhill Candy Crush is unbeaten in three starts, twice last year at EI90 level and once this season on his sole start in an EI100 class at Killossery Lodge (2).

The first qualifying ticket went to Kilcandra Vanessa (394.85) whose owner/rider, veterinary surgeon Aoife Quigley, is always delighted when she does well against the professionals.

A daughter of Orestus, Kilcandra Vanessa was bred in Co Wicklow by Vincent Cousins out of the Orbis mare Kilcandra Lily de Noche. She has had two EI starts, jumping a double clear on both occasions.

Also qualifying here were Sarah Lang’s RNG Vantage Point (389.85), a Pointilliste gelding out of a Kings Master mare who received 9.10 points for his percentage of thoroughbred blood, and the Porsch mare Fleenstown Forgottonameher (389.30) who was ridden by Nicola Ennis for John Bobbett.