HUGELY popular with spectators at the Gallagher Dublin Horse Show, next Saturday’s Irish Thoroughbred Marketing racehorse to riding horse class will be judged by Katie Walsh and Mouse Morris.

If horses were to enter Ring 1 at 3.15pm in alphabetical order, the first one to do so would be last year’s winner, Cheveley Park Stud’s A Plus Tard who, ridden by Emily Kate Robinson, has qualified for Thursday’s ladies’ side saddle class.

A 12-year-old French-bred gelding by Kapgarde, A Plus Tard’s racing career was highlighted by his win in the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup when trained by Henry de Bromhead and partnered by Rachael Blackmore. The bay, who has 69 Dressage Ireland points to his credit, last ran at Leopardstown’s 2023 Christmas meeting.

Heading to Dublin following wins at Tattersalls last weekend are Tom Malone’s Native River, who was fifth here 12 months ago under Emily MacMahon, and the Clare Ricketts-owned and ridden Asterion Forlonge.

The 16-year-old Indian River gelding Native River ran 32 times for the Colin Tizzard yard and his career too was capped by victory in the Cheltenham Gold Cup back in 2018. Retired having pulled up in the 2021 Welsh Grand National, the chesnut showed his wellbeing last Sunday when he won the Tattersalls Ireland Treo Eile Open Showing Pathway Series Final ahead of another entry in Saturday’s class, Bobby Cool.

This 10-year-old Alhebayeb gelding is ridden by Miia Ruuskanen for fellow Co Meath-based Finnish native Liisa Rantamaki. The latter bred the grey and it was in her colours that he ran unplaced in seven starts on the flat when in training with Andrew McNamara. Bobby Cool, who qualified at Armagh, has earned 170 Dressage Ireland points while he is well-known on the riding club circuit in both showing and dressage.

Winner

Asterion Forlonge, a 12-year-old French-bred gelding by Coastal Path who won a bumper, three hurdle races and three races when trained by Willie Mullins for Marie Donnelly, was retired following his second-place finish in the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1) at the 2025 Punchestown National Hunt Festival. His win last weekend came in the Tattersalls Ireland Treo Eile Novice Showing Pathway Series Final.

The youngest horse due to come under starter’s orders on Saturday is Stephanie McGlynn’s eight-year-old Anjaal gelding Mickah Wallace who won this class in 2024 having finished third the previous August.

Unplaced in five runs on the flat as a three-year-old, Mickah Wallace, who qualified at Ballyfoyle, has blossomed in his career outside the rails and not just in showing as he has a performance record with Eventing Ireland and, with McGlynn representing Oakleaf, in show jumping and hunter trials with the Association of Irish Riding Clubs.

The oldest horse catalogued is the Grace Kelly-partnered Royal Regatta who returned to his Co Cork breeder Bruce MacTaggart following a track career with Philip Hobbs which yielded one win in a bumper, two over hurdles and four over fences. He last ran in December 2018.