THE Ballyward Equestrian five/six-year-old All Studbook Consolation Final kicked off the action on the Sunday of the Irish Breeders’ Classic at Barnadown and the calibre of horse and rider shone brightly under the grey skies. With less than one second separating the top four combinations, it was a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat class, with top junior rider Lauren Adams proving why she is one of the riders to fear in a class.

Not satisfied with just winning the class, she also came second, with Adams winning on her mother Dale’s six-year-old Playboy ASJ. The pair broke the finish beams clear in 31.44, just 0.4 seconds ahead of herself and another six-year-old BP Le Tara, owned by Gary and Leslie Hazelwood from Triple T Farms.

Dale Adams, speaking after the class, told The Irish Field: “We are delighted with how the class went, myself and Lauren bought Playboy together when he was a three-year-old in the supreme sale of show jumpers in Goresbridge from Jason Higgins.

“We only started jumping at the start of last year, but Playboy was a very quick learner and moved up the grades smoothly and did some age classes.

Personality

“He was placed in the Millstreet Ruby class last year and also went to Lanaken. Lauren has done some work with Ballypatrick and took over the ride on BP Le Tara just six weeks ago, so they are still getting to know each other, but she loves her personality, reminds her of her grand prix horse Caddie Z.

She is a very intelligent mare and we are very excited to see what happens in the future. The plan with both horses will be to go to Lanaken in a couple weeks’ time.”

Leading five-year-old Lyvette De Kergane, ridden by Robyn Moran, was less than half a second behind the winner when going clear in 31.92 to complete the podium and take third.

Robyn told The Irish Field: “Lyvette is owned by Vera Griffen and was bought as a three-year-old in France. We produced her slowly last year and stepped her up this year, she is a lovely, flashy horse and we think a lot of her. She will jump the five-year-olds in Cavan September show and then finish for the season, we will aim her at the six-year-old classes next year.”

Just edged into fourth place was Max Foley when riding Marion Hughes’ five-year-old HHS Santa Monica, clocking a time of 32.21. Paul McDermott teamed up with Seamus Madden’s Vancouver M to take fifth and Aidan O’Brien with Daniel Coyle’s promising five-year-old Rasputin EM placed sixth.