THE countdown to the Dublin Horse Show is finally nearing an end for the qualified horses and riders who will contest some of the most prestigious classes in the country. Dublin offers the chance for owners, breeders and spectators to assess the up-and-coming young horses of 2016 and the riders who produce them.
THREE-YEAR-OLDS
Next Thursday’s three-year-old loose performance class will highlight the breeding trends in the sport horse industry and which young sires are producing the goods at this early stage.
The 2015 Dublin Horse Show saw Sligo Candy Boy come to the fore with an historic one-two victory for Noel Ruane’s fillies Castle Candy Flash and Castle Candy Crush. The latter returns to Dublin this year in the four-year-old division and is so far proving just as impressive under saddle with Vincent Howley. Sligo Candy Boy is again well represented this year, with three of his progeny making their way to the Simmonscourt arena.
Ruane returns to contest both the fillies and colts/geldings division with another two youngsters sired by Sligo Candy Boy. His filly Castle Camiro was a joint winner of the qualifier at Mullingar EC while the gelding, Castle OJ, finished as the runner-up at the same venue. Completing the trio of Sligo Candy Boy progeny is Tom Maloney’s unnamed grey filly who received top marks at Ard Chuain EC.
Also well represented are Newmarket Jewel and Pacino, who are both represented by two offspring. Vincent O’Callaghan will bring forward Newmarket Ambassador, a winner of his section in the Co Clare showgrounds, while Billy Daly’s Newmarket Pleasure earned her place in the fillies division at Top Flight EC.
Pacino’s offspring come from proven damlines. Qualifying in pole position from Ard Chuain was Alan Higgins’ colt Hillcoote Border Fox, out of the Cruising-sired Corraghoe Cruise. This dam has already produced Cavalier Cruiser, a 1.40m jumper under Philip Horgan.
Taking the runner-up position in Kernans EC was Judy Murphy’s Javas Venus. Her Clover Hill-sired dam Lady Clover Kilkenny has produced the 1.40m Java Jane and Javas Wild Child, a recent winner at 1.45m level at the three-star fixture in Bethune with British rider Jessie Drea.
FOUR-YEAR-OLDS
The four-year-old class at Dublin has seen many changes implemented and reversed in the qualification system in recent years and 2016 has seen a return to the traditional format of four qualifying rounds.
Seven RDS places were awarded by German judges Jens Meyer and Harm Thormaehlen at each qualifier, giving a total of 28 to compete next week. This is once again a slight drop in the numbers for the class, which last year was cut from 36 to 30 places combinations.
Saturday’s Four-Year-Old Mo Chroí Championship will see only six combinations get through to the judged final but the reduced numbers will make it no easier task for the judges on duty to select the best from a talented field.
Olympic Lux, standing in Co Tipperary at Ballymureen Stud, is well represented in the four-year-old divisions. Four of the stallion’s progeny are coming forward to Simmonscourt and all clearly caught the eye of the judges, finishing well up in their respective line-ups.
Jason Higgins was the first to impress the judges with his mount Keatingstown Olympic Star, a clear cut winner at the opening qualifier in Mullingar EC. Could Be Anything, ridden by Liam O’Meara, claimed the runner-up spot at the same venue, while Tracey Walsh and A Lucky One also booked their ticket in this position in Galway EC. Completing the quartet is Shane O’Meara and Lux Like Marble, who featured in the top five in Barnadown.
Cardento also proved a popular choice for the judges with his offspring awarded top marks in two rounds. Sean Kavanagh piloted Castlebridge Cassius to victory in the Meadows EC with Sophie Richards claiming the win in Barnadown aboard MHS Fernhill.
Catherine Thornton with Cashmans Diamond (Cashman x Diamond Serpent) took pole position in the final qualifying round at Galway EC. That filled the northern rider’s quota, having already earned a place with Drumiller Sensation. By Arko III, the mare is out of the Puissance-sired dam Revelene, the 2006 Dublin four-year-old champion under Trevor Bartlett.
Thornton is a familiar face in Simmonscourt on a Saturday afternoon as a former winner of the four-year-old championship at the Dublin Horse Show. Thornton is one of three returning finalists from 2015 with Maria Vozone and Vincent Byrne also coming back.
The last mention for the four-year-old divisions is actually a five-year-old, Abby V Overis Z (Arko III x Diamant de Semilly), who was the runner-up in Barnadown with Darragh Ryan.
Under an underused RDS rule, five-year-old mares are permitted to compete in the four-year-old qualifiers if they carried a foal to parturition as a four-year-old and the foal was subsequently registered in a studbook. The rule is aimed at encouraging breeders to breed from potentially high performing mares as young mares, without fear of being penalised in the ring.
Jointly owned by Olympic hopeful Greg Broderick and his godfather PJ Ryan, this mare is carrying high hopes. Following the qualifying round at Barnadown, Broderick tipped Abby V Overis Z as the one to beat and, considering Ballypatrick Stables has produced three winners of this championship since 2012, that could well be the case.
FIVE-YEAR-OLDS
Broderick’s stable rider Ryan looks set to have a strong team in Dublin, also coming double-handed to the five-year-old division, which is sponsored by Horse Sport Ireland.
Qualifying first time out with BP Luicruise (by Luidam) in Mullingar, Ryan also brings the 2015 four-year-old champion, the Lamm De Fetan-sired ESI Star Struck.
ESI Star Struck was ridden to success last year by Ethen Ahearne, who has since set up his own operation. Ahearne will have the chance to challenge his former mount in the five-year-old competition with HVL Oxana and HHS Falsterbo.
ESI Star Struck is not the only 2015 top six four-year-old returning to contest the five-year-old class. Vincent Byrne, last year’s runner-up with Quantino, has booked his place with the Quartz stallion.
Another combination that has maintained form is James Hogg and Intuitive (Beach Ball x Andiamo) while also returning is Galwaybay Pandora, placed last year with Catherine Thornton.
The Askoll Peter Pan-sired mare has subsequently changed hands and is now campaigned by Jenny Rankin with the pair sharing the honours in Barnadown to secured qualification.
Rankin emerged triumphant in the Sunday morning Six-Year-Old Cruising Championship at last year’s show and will have the chance to defend her title this year.
Getting her qualification out of the way early in Mullingar, Rankin took the runner-up position with MHS Attraction. Rankin has shown consistent form throughout this season with the Numero Uno mare featuring regularly in the Irish Sport Horse Studbook Showjumping Series.