COMPETING at the FEI eventing World Championships this weekend, team member Ian Cassells enjoyed a perfect send off when landing a one-two in the five-year-old young event horse championship.

Riding the 2023 RDS three-year-old champion A Good Call for owner John Bannon, Cassells led from the start, narrowly bettering his second ride GSA Lagan and leaving Luca Bortolamei to fill a close third with Carol Gee’s Fernhill Junior.

Bannon’s skill for sourcing these young event horses is well documented, and having bought his winner as a two-year-old from breeder William McDonnell, has enjoyed many memorable moments. Since winning the RDS title two years ago, the son of Rock’n Roll (dam by Harlequin du Carel) has progressed impressively and with Bannon in the saddle competed in the Burghley young horse championships last year.

Running a business and competing is never easy, however, and half way through this season Bannon decided to ask Ian Cassells to take the ride. “I just wasn’t getting the results the horse deserved,” he admitted. “So Ian took over just before the Rincoola qualifier in July.”

The rest, as they say, is history, and while the horse ran at the RDS in Bannon’s name it has since been confirmed that he has been sold to Patrick (Dick) Murphy for Cassells to retain the ride. “It’s taken two years, but I did message Ian back in May 2024 to say ‘find an owner for this special horse’ - and now he has!” jested Bannon, and indeed Cassells had no hesitation in recommending him.

“I love him,” he said. “He’s a big horse but he finds everything very easy.” A lucky owner, Murphy has already tasted championship success with his Le Lion d’Angers silver medallist Rutland Flamenco and both he and Bannon are looking forward to following his progress.

Small but mighty

Another of Cassells’ successful owners, Gerry Leahy is also in Aachen supporting his European silver medallist winning Millbridge Atlantis. He was however at ringside in Dublin and was delighted to see his own GSA Lagan filling second place. “I bought him as a foal because I love the sire Lagans OBOS Quality,” explained Leahy.

“He’s not overly big and I still have to persuade Ian that he will be 16.2hh one day - but if he does he will be Atlantis’s replacement!”

Bred by Noel Tierney out of GSA Athleague by Tyson, Leahy’s gelding had filled third place on day one, before receiving consistently high jumping marks from all three judges. This left him a full mark in front of Carol Gee’s eye-catching dun Fernhill Junior who was well ridden by stable jockey Luca Bortolamei.

Firm favourite

A horse with a great record, Junior was a finalist at the same venue last season as well as in Burghley, and is a big favourite with both rider and owner. “He’s off to Burghley again next month, and the plan is to definitely keep him until a six-year-old, possibly taking him to the sunshine tour over the winter,” said Gee.

The jumping tracks over both days proved relatively and rather unusually straightforward so by and large, those who scored well on day one held their positions.

As a result there were no major surprises, but one of the highest promotions went to fourth-placed Alice Copithorne with Castleview Lady Cruise. Carrying an added 7.6 (from a maximum of 10) marks for having the highest amount of thoroughbred blood, Castleview Lady Cruise completed nearly three marks in front of Sara Lundkvist, who retained her opening fifth spot with Sportsfield Firefly.

Speaking after the two classes the German five star rider Kai Ruder commented: “I think the winners are real top prospects. Both classes were full of lovely horses, and while I thought the four-year-olds were probably nicer overall, it is a compliment to Irish breeders to see so many well produced young horses in top condition.”