THE largest margin of victory at last Sunday’s RDS working hunter pony qualifier at Raheen na Gun Stud was recorded in the 53-runner starter stakes by Abbey Cassidy on her mother Catherine’s Darkly Julie.

They completed on 85.5 marks as Robin Lyons Teehan filled the runner-up slot with the six-year-old palomino mare Seoda Ban (80), who also later qualified in the 133cm class under the rider’s elder sister Nancy.

Down from Co Armagh, Lauren O’Rourke finished third on the eight-year-old Welsh gelding Prince Caspian (78), just half a mark ahead of Polly Geraghty riding the 16-year-old grey gelding Horse And Jockey Clasper.

Having completed at Banner, the first four are now fully-qualified for Dublin unlike the fifth-placed combination of Isabel Crews and the six-year-old Connemara mare Drumlin Isobel (77.5), who will have to finish at either Knockagh View tomorrow or at Sceilig on Wednesday, July 1st to secure their ticket.

Cassidy and Darkly Julie have been mentioned in these pages from early in the year competing, and winning, at regular Irish Pony Society shows and in the organisation’s Sports Pony Challenge Series, where they topped their league.

Representing the Bray Branch, they won a section of the Under 12s’ competition at the Irish Pony Club’s national dressage championships at CoilÓg. They will also be representing the Brays and Area 1 at the IPC’s Festival at Barnadown next month having won the Under 12s’ combined training class at the Area qualifier in Marlton last month.

The IPS had to move Sunday’s qualifier at a late stage to Raheen Na Gun Stud from its intended venue of Kilbride Equestrian following a death in the Lennon family.