OFFALY’s Aileen Dwyer, who spent some time in Co Wexford working for the late racehorse trainer William Codd, returned to the Model County last Saturday when she won Section B of the older horses’ qualifier for the performance Irish Draught finals at the Gallagher Dublin Horse Show.

So comprehensive was Dwyer’s victory on 238 marks with the David Miley-bred Diamond Dungar Quality (Keamore Diamond Quality - Banog Girl, by Sea Crest) that no horse other than Tadgh O’Leary’s five-year-old gelding secured a qualifying ticket. Representing Anvil, Dwyer and the grey won the side saddle class at the recent AIRC Festival in Mullingar, where they also placed third in both their ridden and working hunter ID classes.

Chris McNamara, honorary treasurer with the Limerick Harriers, amassed 230 marks to win Section A aboard his own Moylough Supreme (Moylough Supremacy - Moylough Legaun Sky, by Grange Bouncer). The five-year-old grey gelding was bred by Patrick Hoare, who stands the dual Dublin winner Moylough Supremacy at his Moylough Horses’ yard in Co Galway.

Having hit the woodwork at Tullylish and Scarteen, Craughwell’s Maria McNamara bagged herself a ticket for the final of these younger horses’ class when second on 226.5 with her father Tom’s Shanbally Class Act (Zeus Of The Blues - Eileens Abby, by Ard Grandpa). Bred by Martin Donnellan, this four-year-old grey gelding has won in the show ring as a small hunter.

Co Limerick-based Wexford native Jason Furlong secured another qualifying ticket for this sector of the Gallagher Dublin Horse Show, when finishing first (220 marks) in Section B of the six-year-olds and upwards class with Lucy Ann Barry’s Ludden Silver Chieftain (Cloncastle Silver Squire - Ludden Heather, by Killcotton Cross).

The previous Tuesday, Furlong had also won the middle/heavyweight working hunter qualifier at Forth Mountain on the Eamonn Kennedy-bred nine-year-old.

On 218.5 marks, Chris Connell claimed the second ticket with Nikola and Roisin Conway’s eight-year-old gelding A Secret To Remember (Tors Gentleman Farmer - Crummy White Star, by Creevagh Grey Rebel), who was bred in Co Leitrim by Cyril McWeeney. Last year, this grey competed in the small hunter class at Dublin.

Edwina O’Connor and her 12-year-old Ashwood Reggie (Keamore Diamond Clover - Beara Lady, by Fast Silver) was a second winner on the day for Co Wicklow breeder, David Miley. As they were already qualified, the sole ticket in this class was awarded to another locally-based pairing, Michael Bowe with his father JJ’s eight-year-old Patrickswell Sherry (Cappa Amadeus - Springvale Countess, by Castana), who is a bit of a standing dish at Dublin.