THE Marnanes didn’t have an entry at Dublin last year, but the Bansha family are set to make a return in August following Emily’s win at Knockagh View on Sunday during the third of four RDS working hunter pony qualifiers.

Riding the eight-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Krafty Tim Hunt (Krafty Clover - Waris, by Carroll House), Marnane amassed 93.5 marks in the 153cm class, which left her two points clear of her nearest challenger, Victoria Keane on the 13-year-old Connemara gelding Gorthanedin Mist. The pair are now fully qualified for the final.

Krafty Tim Hunt was bred by Jennifer Hunt, breeder also of another eight-year-old Krafty King gelding, Marie Kent’s Chapel Hill Chino, who finished third (89) here on his series debut under Lilymai Walsh.

Fully qualified now following their fourth and fifth place finishes on Sunday are Chloe Dempsey with the nine-year-old Connemara gelding Carnhill Stormy Boy (89) and Brooke Kenny with her father Graham’s seven-year-old Connemara gelding Cupid’s Magic Shadow (86).

Four of the first five in the 143cm class are also now set for Dublin, the odd-one out being the winning combination on 94.5 of Randalstown’s Holly Logan and her mother Zoe Price’s eight-year-old Connemara gelding Owens Shadow (Silver Shadow - Trixey Owen, by Abbeyleix Owen).

On July 1st, or perhaps the day before, they will be heading down to the final qualifier at Sceilig, where they booked their ticket for Dublin in 2024. Before then, they are travelling over to the east coast of Scotland for next week’s Royal Highland Show (June 18th to 21st). Last Saturday, Logan booked a ticket in second for the young riders’ Connemara ridden class at Dublin on her mother’s Lough Derg Star and that eight-year-old Glencarrig Joe gelding will also be on the ferry to Scotland.

Back to those who were placed on Sunday and they were Maggi Caffey with her mother Mary’s 15-year-old Connemara gelding Illaunurra Bay (93.5), Sadhbh Dunphy with the 15-year-old Connemara gelding Kyle Hero (91.5), Lucy-Hope Ryan with the 10-year-old skewbald mare Pretty Patterns (89) and Mollie Russell riding Evelyn Tighe’s eight-year-old Kruserlier mare Miss Serena Royal (89).