Brian Hennessy

SATURDAY’s prestigious Millstreet Ruby final would seem to suggest that Irish breeding is heading in the right direction, with a high quality group of five year-olds making light work of the first round course and no less than 15 youngsters making it through fault-free to the jump-off.

Kilkenny’s Ger O’Neill and the Luidam-sired mare Ard Ginger Pop proved unbeatable in the Hooper Dolan Insurance-sponsored final and Sharon Fitzpatrick’s chesnut looks set to attract huge interest when she goes under the hammer at the upcoming Goresbridge Horse Sales select sale of show jumpers at the Irish Breeders Classic in Barnadown. “The mare has been really consistent all year,” Ger O’Neill commented afterwards, adding: “She was unlucky not to win in Dublin where she was beaten by just a third of a second, so it was nice to win a championship here in Millstreet.

“The first round wasn’t overly big so with a lot of clears, the second round was exceptionally fast and I had to take all the chances. Luckily it came off. She is so careful you can run her at the jumps and always tries to leave them up, she is a special horse. Every course you walk with this mare you don’t really mind because you always feel she will jump clear, some horses suit different courses but she is very versatile.”

When asked about the Irish Breeders Classic sale, he said: “There is a really strong line-up now after this weekend. With the winner of the Young Irelander Final also included, I think it could be an exceptional sale. We do sell horses at times for big money but most of the time it is not in the public eye, this sale is for elite horses and I think it will go from strength to strength just like the eventers Go For Gold sale.”

The jump-off course began with a vertical before a turn-back to a Connolly’s Red Mills oxer, followed by another vertical at fence six which fell a number of times, as did fence 8. The final oxer turning away from the pocket at 12 also caught out a few.

Clem McMahon set the early second round target by going clear in 37.75 seconds with Jaranja de Reve. One of four mares in the top six at the finish, this mare by Toulon out of a dam by Baloubet, would eventually take third place on the podium.

Olive Clarke and the Cassini mare Cassaria then went clear and held on to take fifth spot, just ahead of Linda Courtney with LLC Troy (by Clinton out of an Arkansas dam) who finished sixth.

Despite being drawn early in the 15-way jump-off, Ger O’Neill and Ard Ginger Pop’s time of 36.44 proved unbeatable, although Jordan Coyle and the Cobra gelding Blurred Lines produced a brilliant effort, finishing just a fraction slower in 36.89 to take runner-up spot.

Last to go against the clock was Nenagh-based Liam O‘Meara riding Quick Quality (by OBOS Quality out of a Clover Hill dam) and they posted the sixth double clear round of the completion in 39 seconds flat to grab a fourth place finish.