THE young horse finals at the Avonmore Summer Classic last weekend were competitive affairs, with a strong start list of 42 lining out to contest the MBF and Higgins’ Sporthorses five- and six-year-old title.

Eleven of the 42 produced a double clear round to secure themselves a place in the final line-up. It was the five-year-old Luidam-sired mare Luicruz, out of All Cruz (Puissance), who was bred by Sean Fahy and ridden by Adam Carey that proved best of the bunch recording a jump-off time of 38.07 to secure victory.

This mare has been very consistent recently placing in several of the qualifying classes at River Lodge and also earning a win and a second place in the qualifiers at the Irish Breeders’ Classic last month.

Another mare, this time the six-year-old Cindy Z (Clarimo x Casall), ridden by Ballypatrick Stables’ Ethen Ahearn slotted into second place in 40.75. Cindy Z is owned by American rider Charlotte Jacobs, who placed sixth in the class with the Ronan Rothwell-bred Boleybawn Bella (Capri Van Overis x Andiamo). Jacobs, who trains with Greg Broderick, purchased the chesnut mare after she won the four-year-old final in Dublin last year.

Daren Hopkins and Ballywalter Stables’-owned gelding Empoli de Champloue (Arko x Diamant de Semilly) took third in 41.32, while Seamus Hughes-Kennedy, riding his mother Clare’s Castelfield Kamira (Kannan x Cascari), was fourth, ahead of Sean Monaghan and Diadema Della Caccia, also owned by Ballywalter Stables, in fifth place.

Double for Rogan

De L’oiseliere and Deane Rogan picked up a second victory in as many days when they won the Jim Derwin-sponsored €3,000 1.35m class which also incorporated the seven-year-old final. By Kapitol D’ Argonne, the gelding is out of Miss Flight (Oberon Du Moulin) and is owned by Sligo’s Declan McGarry. They have been enjoying a great run taking fourth in the IBC seven and eight-year-old final, as well as second in Balmoral.

The duo posted a jump-off time of 38.58 in a hard fought 14-way decider. Just eight of the 14 produced a double clear round. Vincent Byrne and James Weldon’s experienced 16-year-old gelding Mr Rockefeller (Ard VDL Douglas x Kings Servant) were runners-up in 39.17, while third was Jonathan Smyth riding Noletta Smyth and Roy Craig’s eight-year-old gelding Mulvin Lights Out (Kroongraaf x Diamond Serpent) in 39.42.

Next best of the seven-year-old horses in fourth place was Rincoola Milsean (Aldatus Z x Cruising), ridden by Sean Monaghan, in a time of 39.81, while fifth went to Adam Carey (Quialina D) and sixth to the seven-year-old mare GRS Lady Amaro (Amaretto Darco), owned and ridden by Patrick Hickey.

Ethen Aherne claimed the RP Stables-sponsored four-year-old final aboard Margaret Fennell’s Ice Cool Gael (Dignified Van’t Zorgvliet x Beneficial), ahead of Vincent Byrne and the Elvis Ter Putte stallion Quality-Time Van Het Heieinde, owned by Killavallig Farm Ltd Sweetnam.