FERNHILL SDF Five Star was crowned the Irish Breeders’ Classic six-year-old champion at Barnadown in Co Wexford last Sunday which saw a new format of two separate championships for the two age divisions (five and six).

Owned by Carol Gee and ridden by Timmy Brennan, he is by Nick Skelton’s Olympic mount Big Star, out of a mare by Lux Z named Lux San, and was bred by Samantha Heaney Fegan.

Speaking after the win, Gee told The Irish Field: “I bought him from Jessica O’Driscoll when he was four doing the young horse event horse class in Millstreet.

“I bought him as a jumper, I thought straight away he was a jumper, I didn’t think he was an eventer to be honest.

“Timmy’s brother Eoin rode him as a five-year-old. They placed in the five-year-old final in Dublin and qualified for Dublin as a six-year-old this year.

Blessed

“Eoin then went away to work with Jan Tops in Holland and Timmy asked if he could ride him at the IBC. I let him. It is hard to say no to those boys. They are such hard workers. They are both amazing riders and I think they will be very successful when they are older.

“I’m blessed to have them ride for me. I feel very lucky to have such great guys working with my horses. I have a long association with their family. Tim is my vet and I’m friends with their mother Olivia. It makes for a lovely atmosphere and a great connection.

“Timmy rode amazing. It was fast. My instructions before the class were ‘you can bring the horse to the IBC, but you can’t win it because it will be too fast’. But that is very difficult to say to a young lad that wants to win and is hungry; so he did not obey orders, but he rode a great round.

“I thought the track was as big as you would want to jump any six-year-old, but it was so well designed that made it very jumpable and very rideable, so all credit to the course builder.”

Delighted

Gee continued: “The plan is now to give him a break. Eoin did the Sunshine Tour with him and then the Dublin qualifiers, so he’ll have a rest now and then we will make a plan starting in the spring.

“I’ve just bought this year’s foal by Diarado from the breeders of Fernhill SDF Five Star, the Heaney Fegans. Diarado is the sire of Dourados 2 who was Fernhill rider Duarte Seabra’s Olympic horse in Paris. I feel that they bred him for me so I couldn’t leave him behind,” said the delighted owner.

Following qualifiers on Thursday and Friday, a starting field of the top 20 six-year-olds lined out for the 1.30m class, which offered a prize pot of €17,500 supported by DAFM and delivered by HSI.

Of the 20 starters, just seven combinations managed to deliver a first-round clear to progress to the timed decider.

First to go was Leah Stack riding Keith Ennis’ Rosconnell Tango (Tyson x Goodluck Vdl), bred by Mairead Lacey. They were unlucky to have a single fence down for four faults in 37.43 for eventual sixth place. Timmy Brennan was next to go on his first mount, his father Tim’s home-bred mare GCS Angelina (Aganix Du Seigneur x Vigo D’Arsouilles). They recorded the first double clear in a time of 40.33 for third place.

Barnadown resident rider Sophie Richards and Maurice Cousins’ Kincullia Draco (Greenvale Draco x Mermus R), bred by Andy Griffin, then matched Brennan’s clear but in a slower time of 45.30 for fifth.

Niamh McEvoy and the Ballypatrick bred BP Lucky Clover (My Lord Carthago x Captain Clover), owned by Gary and Leslie Hazlewood from Triple T Farms, were unlucky to have one fence down in 44.87. Brennan was next to go aboard Fernhill SDF Five Star. They left all the poles in place once again, stopping the clock at 39.15 to head proceedings.

Gemma Phelan and Suma Stud’s home-bred mare Suma’s Lumen (Ard Vdl Douglas x Master Imp) made a good effort as the next to go. They cleared all the fences but were slightly off the mark in a time of 40.12 to claim the runner-up spot.

Last to go, Shane O’Reilly aboard Brian McConville’s Bossa Nova Boy (Air Jordan Z x Lux Z), bred by Desmond Judge, also managed to post a double clear round in 42.80 for fourth place.