THURSDAY, traditionally known as Draught Day, sees some intriguing classes in the Irish Draught mare section, sponsored once again by the Irish Draught Horse Breeders Association (IDHBA), through DAFM funding.

As has been Thursday’s timetable in recent years, the Draught mare and foal classes are split throughout the day, with the opening young mare class (three and four-year-olds) taking place at 11.10 am, followed by the older mare class and the mare championship for the coveted Eileen Parkhill trophy.

Draught Day spectators will get value for money as the mare championship is followed by a parade of Irish Draught stallions and later in the evening, the foal classes resume at 5.15 pm.

Last year’s young mare class winner and reserve champion - Kathleen Gielty - Cunney’s Foxford Nina (Cappa Aristocrat) - will be bidding to go one better next week.

Also lining out in the opening mare class are daughters of previous Dublin mare champions: Mary Murphy’s Castlegates Molly Malone (Inisfree The Holy Grail) out of the 2019 champion Fuerty Princess and Seamus Sloyan’s Elms Royal View (Kilmovee Lionhawk) whose dam is the triple champion, Elm View (2010, 2013, 2014).

Lisa and John Baker’s Malahow Grace’s Legacy (Moylough Legacy) is another in this class and recently won the Mare of the Future class at the IDHBA national show, where another young mare class entry - Jenny Williams’ Killayne Jasmine (Hollypark Diamond) - was working hunter and reserve ridden champion at that same show.

Inisfree Farmers Daughter (Tors Gentleman Farmer), the Jenny Banks and Mick O’Dowd-owned dam of Malahow Grace’s Legacy, is amongst those going for the five-year-old and over mare with foal at foot class.

Bidding to match Elm View’s treble title is Valerie Davis’s two-time champion mare Castleview Lady Georgina, whose sire Castleview Inisfree Farmer, owned by her breeder Kenny Bell, lines out in the stallion class.

Elm View has another daughter amongst the entries in Des McDonnell’s Silver View (Fast Silver), while fellow Mayo owners Emma and Pat Murphy bring Puntabeg Emma’s Star (Gortfree Hero) whose Moylough Supremacy filly lines out in the evening’s foal classes.

Dominic Cassidy’s Tors Gentleman Farmer and Jimmy Noone’s Inisfree The Holy Grail colts join the offspring of these and other mares in the evening foal classes, which will also be judged by Elizabeth Cooke and Jonathan Geake. There are no part-bred foal entries this year.