THE final of the Irish Horse Welfare Trust Thoroughbred Club retired racehorse series, which was sponsored by Tattersalls and supported by Godolphin and TRI, was judged in Ring 3 on Saturday by Penelope Clarke and Philippa Moon.

Their champion was Piri Wango who was ridden and produced by Rosemary Connors for Co Cork’s David Spratt, in whose colours the chesnut ran when trained by Ger Lyons. The eight-year-old Choisir gelding, who was bred by former multiple champion flat jockey Michael Kinane out of a Deploy mare, ran 21 times, mainly over distances of six furlongs to a mile, visiting the winner’s enclosure twice.

Connors only got Piri Wango in early March but described him as “a lovely horse to do, especially for a sprinter. He’ll make a lovely riding horse as he is a super mover.” Very disappointed that the good-looking chesnut isn’t among the entries for Dublin, Connors is taking up Sunday’s prize of a sponsored trip to the RoR Championship final in Aintree, although this decision has involved a change of plan for the show organisers.

“I was meant to be judging there but, when they heard I had qualified Piri Wango they said not to worry and that I could judge there next year instead!” explained Connors.

The Co Waterford rider has been replaced on the Aintree judges’ panel by Co Meath’s Emily MacMahon.

Also heading over to the famed Liverpool venue is Co Wicklow’s Alison Clancy who filled the reserve slot on Saturday with the French-bred Un Atout, one of the many ex-Willie Mullins-trained participants on the racehorse to riding horse circuit.

The nine-year-old Robin Des Champs gelding won four of his eight races for Gigginstown House Stud including the Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland Champion Novice Hurdle at the 2013 Punchestown Festival.