THE third Irish Pony Club Race of the year took place at Navan last Saturday, following previous races at the Fairyhouse and Punchestown Festivals. The seven riders in action were members of the Laois, Westmeath, Ward Union and Louth Pony Club Branches.

All had attended the RACE academy in Kildare, where they were put through their paces by Aine O’Connor and Maxine O’Sullivan. They were taught the basics of race riding and were assessed on the simulator before riding the racehorse schoolmasters on the gallops.

On Saturday, the seven walked the course with Epsom Derby-winning jockey Emmett McNamara, who spoke to them about the importance of the start, but to ensure they conserved enough energy to get up the Navan hill. The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board’s Clerk of the Course Brian Hamilton and racecourse foreman Donal Curtis explained about watering the track in the lead-up to raceday and the importance of the jockeys staying between the flags.

In the race itself, the Laois Branch’s Erin Sweeney (pictured on page 30) followed up on her Easter success at Fairyhouse on Cisco Sweet. She never saw another rival and was able to ease her mount down near the line. Sweeney and the eight-year-old palomino gelding were due to compete at the Killinicks’ Connolly’s Red Mills/IPC eventing qualifier at Sleedagh on Wednesday.

The Louths’ Mia McGrane finished second on Windswept Lady, just ahead of another Laois member, Sennan Farrell. The latter rode the 15-year-old grey gelding Briar Cottage Boy on whom, 24 hours later at Grove, he secured his qualification for next month’s eventing championships at Tattersalls Ireland. The other riders in Saturday’s race were Emma Young (Westmeath), Ruby Collins (Louth), Isabelle McKeever (Louth) and Alfie Broderick (Ward Union).

Back in the weighroom, the jockeys were brought into the Stewards’ room to watch the re-run. Emmett McNamara, Andrew Ring of the IHRB and the raceday stewards kindly told them what they were looking for or not.