THE Tattersalls Ireland Treo Eile Showing Pathway Series reached its halfway stage at the Clonmel Show last Sunday.

Initially pulled in second, UK judges Kevin Lee and Nigel Fuller gave the winning nod to Claire Connors and Creggs Cross in the Open class.

Connors and the three-time raced Ocovango gelding added to their prize fund later in the afternoon, standing third in the Riding Horse class.

Previously placed at the Midleton qualifier, Alannah Budds and Act in Time took second, securing her qualifying ticket for the final at the Iverk Show in August. The Stowaway gelding was originally trained by Padraig Roche on the Curragh.

With Creggs Cross already qualified at Raheendaw, Mary Jane Kearney and Mahler of Autumn have also secured their place in the final.

Arabella Scanlan couldn’t contain her excitement when her eight-year-old Western Express retained his position to take the red in the Novice class. Ridden on this occasion by son Harry, an elated Scanlon explained: “I rode out Western Express when he was in training with Ron O’Leary and he came to me when he retired last year. A Treo Eile clinic in the Spring was our first outing and I will take over the reins in the show ring now. “I am thoroughly enjoying the ex-racehorse scene and I am looking forward to showing him under side saddle in the future.”

Standing second was well-known retrainer Vincent Phelan, with a US-bred four-year-old by American Pharoah. Giving the background, Phelan said: “The gelding was a graduate of the sales in America and unfortunately he did not show a flair for racing at the pretraining stage.”

All roads lead to the Wicklow Show on July 13th for the next qualifier of the Series.