THE popular performance Irish Draught classes will once again get the action in Ring 2 under way when the 2026 Gallagher Dublin Horse Show opens to the public on Wednesday morning.

A total of 24 horses, split between the two age groups, qualified for the sector including the stallion Gortfree Lakeside Lad, Sean Baker’s 14-year-old Gortfree Hero grey who bagged his ticket at Scarteen under west of Ireland-based Scottish international event rider Becky Scott.

Among others due to start in the six-year-old and upwards class are previous Dublin winners such as Lady Perdita Blackwood’s eight-year-old Scrapman gelding Clandeboye (Louise Lyons) and J.J. Bowe’s similarly-aged Cappa Amadeus gelding Patrickswell Sherry who qualified this year under the owner’s son Michael.

Charlotte Harding will be hoping to fare better than fourth as she did last August on Penny Murphy’s 12-year-old Killinick Bouncer gelding Kontiki with whom she has also qualified to defend their title as show hunter pony champions. Second 12 months ago, Edwina O’Connor returns to put matters to right on her 12-year-old Keamore Diamond Clover gelding Ashwood Reggie.

Four mares qualified for the final of whom, purely because of her name, I’m going to single out Ria O’Callaghan’s Glenford Margie, a six-year-old daughter of Goldsmithcountry Oliver who is a second ride in the class for Becky Scott.

The since exported Two Mile Nigel won the four and five-year-old class last August for owner Dermot Molloy and rider Diarmuid Ryan. As the latter had reached his quota of mounts early this season, Molloy himself will partner the 2022 Heigh Ho Dubh gelding Derreen Heigh Ho who he qualified at Scarteen. Ryan will be on board Simon Kelly’s five-year-old Farmhill Highlander gelding Clogher Highlander who qualified at Tullylish.

The father and daughter duo of Tom and Maria McNamara are double-handed with two grey geldings, the Cappa Aristocract five-year-old Shanbally Nightcap, who holds three other engagements, and the Zeus of the Blues four-year-old Shanbally Class Act who is entered in one other class.

Only two mares qualified, both at Scarteen, Sophie Mullane’s owner-ridden Inisfree The Iron Cross five-year-old Gortfadda Coolcronan Lady and the Heigh Ho Dubh four-year-old My Highfield Starlet who will be ridden for P.J. Sheerin by Christopher Whyte.

These classes, which are prize-funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, will be judged by England’s Hayden Hankey and Ann Bassett who are due to be in position for an 8.30am start.