KINSALE’s Alice Copithorne won the Traditional Irish Horse working hunter class at last year’s Dublin Horse Show on Kilkeany Breeze and she took a first step towards a repeat victory when winning the qualifier at Scarteen on Tuesday.

This she did on the Marian Slattery-owned and bred Elegant Emilia (Young Carrabawn - Kings Elegance, by Kings Master), who was awarded 92 marks by judges Kevin McGuinness (ride) and Philip Scott (conformation). The five-year-old’s dam is a full-sister to The Kings Ransom, who finished third in the CCIJ2*-L at Ballindenisk in April.

“Millie has led a very quiet life until she went to Alice six weeks ago; my husband John had brought on her slowly at home,” revealed Slattery. “Today was her first real competition and John and I are really thrilled with the way she jumped and performed. All credit to Alice and we are leaving it up to her as to where and what the mare does next.

“It means a lot to us that Scarteen and Dublin are putting on TIH classes to showcase the athleticism, versatility, rideability and willingness to please of the traditional Irish horse. Chris and Sue Ryan are tremendous supporters of TIH breeding, which is sadly now becoming all too rare,” concluded Slattery who, as is the norm at this venue, was one of the judges in the young event horse section, this year assessing runners for suitability and potential on the flat.

Co Kilkenny’s Amy Finn is also making a return to Dublin for this class, but with the same home-bred mare, the now six-year-old Goldfield Rebel (90), a bay daughter of Rebel Mountain. Co Meath’s Katie Byrne topped the final line-up in 2023 on Fairyhouse Coco and she and the home-bred 16-year-old Gwennic de Goariva mare qualified in third on 88.

Also booking their tickets at the Ryan family’s lovely venue on Tuesday were Deirdre Rafter with David Ryan’s eight-year-old Young Carrabawn gelding Lawnview Diamond (83) and, by the narrowest of margins, Adam Campbell on Aidan Daly’s home-bred five-year-old Templar Spirit gelding Lambscross Spirit Master (80).

Craughwell’s Maria McNamara recorded the day’s highest score (95), when winning the class for horses aged five years old and upwards and capable of carrying over 83kg with her father Tom’s Irish Draught gelding Shanbally Nightcap (Cappa Aristocrat - Moyglass Blackie, by Coille Mor Hill). The James Gunning-bred five-year-old finished eight points clear of his nearest rival.

That was Rob McHugh’s six-year-old Irish Draught mare Hio Easter Rose (by Moylough Legacy), one of two horses Christine O’Donnell qualified here for Diarmuid Ryan. The other was the fourth-placed Clogher Highlander (85), a five-year-old Farmhill Highlander gelding, who finished third in his performance ID class at Dublin and fourth in his working hunter class.

The owner/rider duo of Marie and Natasha Byrne bagged a ticket with the third-placed five-year-old Cascari gelding Drumlin Caesar (86), while Shannon O’Mahony claimed the last ticket on offer when finishing fifth on DFE Lucky Clover (78). As a member of Clonshire, O’Mahony won the young horses’ show jumping class at the Association of Irish Riding Clubs’ Festival in Mullingar at the weekend on this five-year-old ISH gelding by Lucky Luck.