NIAMH McEvoy enjoyed a typically stellar day at the first RDS horse qualifier at The Meadows recently, where she took three of the top six places in the seven and eight-year-old class. Her winner was Jasmim D’Ariel (Panama Tame x Diamant de Semilly), a seven-year-old mare who sold through Ballypatrick Auctions in 2024 for €373,000. The combination stopped the clock in the second round on 36.86.
Recently based back in Ireland after time abroad, Jessica Burke finished second in 37.35 on Brian McConville’s seven-year-old Rial’s Varinjo (Farinjo Des Mecs x Casco), having been runner-up in the 1.30m Grand Prix at the Spring Championships at the venue. There was a narrow margin to third,which after a brilliant Balmoral, went to Max Foley, who was clear in 37.4 with Illusion De Hus (Baloubet De Rouet x Ugobak Des Baleines).
McEvoy also placed fourth with Rosconnell Tango (Tyson x Goodluck VDL), a seven-year-old Irish Sport Horse bred by Mairead Lacey and owned by Keith Ennis. She was also sixth with another Irish-bred, this time the eight-year-old stallion Boleybawn Alvaro (Dominator Z x Crown Z), while Patrick Hickey slotted into fifth with W.F. River.
Nine combinations were to qualify, but as riders can only compete a maximum of two horses per age category in Dublin, 10th place here also qualified. Harry Wood (Janus Des Vains), Jack Geaney (Next Star), Olive Clarke (Tiara vd Berghoeve) and Jack Ryan (Galwaybay Winningmood) all gained tickets to Dublin.
Conor McMahon and Serran De Bun won the four-year-old qualifier at The Meadows \ Tori OC Photography
Four-year-olds
The top eight pairs in the four-year-old class, which is judged, qualify for Dublin, and here Conor McMahon topped the leaderboard on the KWPN stallion Serran De Bun (Douglas x Tangelo Van De Zuuthoeve) for Nightingale Sport Horses, earning a score of 88.75. Taylor Cummins rode the Irish Sport Horse Thistledown Katie Taylor (Tyson x Foxglen Cruise Control) into second for owners Eddie Moloney and Olivia Byrne, earning a score of 86 on the David Furlong-bred bay mare. Olive Clarke gained another ticket in third on 85.25 with KMS Sapphire (Emerald Van T’ Ruytershof x Campbell VDL), a five-year-old owned and bred by Olive Broderick, who is eligible for this class having bred a foal. Fourth went to Dylan Savage on RNG C U On Sunday (Carrera VDL x Giovani de la Pomme) for breeder Ger O’Brien, while Alison Smyth was fifth with Nigel Kenny’s Derrycastle Now We’re Talking (Comilfo Plus Z x Cevin Z). Sixth and seventh placings finished on equal points, but the latter had a pole in the second round. Seamus Hennessy took sixth with Ballynoe Eldorado (Eldorado Van De Zeshoek x VDL Arkansas), owned and bred by Lorcan Hennessy. Sophie Richards was seventh with Cello Diro (Jacadello x Ramiro B), owned and bred by Maurice Cousins.
The eighth and last ticket here went to Amanda Goldsbury and Cooley Farm’s Livingston (Livello x Chellano Z).
Fitzpatrick wins the five-year-olds
Isabel Fitzpatrick took the first of 12 tickets on offer in the five-year-old qualifier, jumping triple clear in 35.46 with Liam Buckley’s Maradona 3 (Luigi D’Eclipse x Gentleman). Gemma Phelan finished second in 36.26 with Vibe of Picobello Z (Vagabond De La Pomme x Ogano Sitte) and third in 37.84 with ABC Mayflower (Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve x Cruising), the latter bred by Patrick Kehoe and both owned by Gerard Burke. McEvoy took her third ticket of the day, and a second for owner Keith Ennis, finishing fourth with BP Bob Rock (Rock n Roll Ter Putte x Captain Clover) in 38.16. Oisin Aylward was fifth in 38.63 with the KWPN mare Rhapsody CS (Inaico VDL x Quaprice Bois Margot), while Eddie Moloney was partially responsible for both sixth and seventh. Moloney is the owner of Rhea-Duela (El Barone 111 Z x Toulon), sixth in 38.8 with Cummins, and rode the Irish Sport Horse Alpha SRC (Corporal VDL x Pacino), seventh in 38.97 for Kilcreene Enterprises and breeder Ciara Woods.
Timmy Brennan was eighth on GCS Ruby (Emerald Van T’Ruytershof x Vigo D’Arsouilles), while Robyn Moran rode the last triple clear on Fortside Exhibition (Castlefield Kingston x Ars Vivendi) for ninth. Max Foley and Jessica Burke each collected another ticket, despite four faults apiece in round three. Foley was 10th on Marion Hughes’ HHS Big Time (Chacoon Blue x Quidamo) and Burke 12th on Brian McConville’s BWE Rooneys Pride (KMS Rooney x Aldato). Charlotte Harding was 11th on Annette Megahey’s Bachelor Beau by Coporal VDL.
Jason Foley qualified for Dublin by winning the six-year-old class at The Meadows riding Castlefield Tycoon \ Tori OC Photography
Six-year-olds
In the six-year-old class, 12 were to qualify over two rounds, and there were 12 double clears from the 81 starters. Jason Foley on Castlefield Tycoon (Tyson x Lupicor) recorded the best of these, double clear in 41 seconds. The Sean Stafford-bred gelding was third in the five-year-old National Championship at Dublin last year under Jack Kent and is owned by Martin Egan.
Katie Nallon and Carnlea Chinos Lulu (Luidam x Pacino), a mare bred by David Cross and owned by Bob Sweeney, were second in a time of 41.63. Only a fraction of a second separated Nallon from third-placed Billy Sinnott and Rosconnell Popstar (Phil vd Wezelse Heihoveve x Goodluck VDL), another bred by Mairead Lacey and owned by Gerry Leahy. Kian Dore placed fourth with the Belgian bred Olga D’Ecussinnes (by Malito de Reve) in a time of 42.25, while fifth went to Shane Kenny on his own Killahurler Lady Syble (Ganesh Hero Z x VDL Arkansas), bred by Sean Hurley, in 42.58. Young rider Stephen Gibbons was sixth with Rashid Shapazir Masoudi’s Belgian-bred stallion Umbrillio van het Kappelhof (Toulon x Clinton II).
Ben Walsh riding both Carro Miss Don VHP (Don VHP Z x VDL Douglas) and Kyra M (Coronet Oblensky x Diamant de Semilly), Senan Reape on BP Rioja (Numero Uno x Plot Blue), Robyn Moran on Fortside Fortune (Untouchable Z7 x Quidam Junior), Lt James Bracken on Lissaniska (Tyson x Ramon) and Naomi Carr on Emerald Kali (Eldorado Van De Zeshoek x Rubels) completed the 12 qualifiers.