THE Banner county had some compensation last weekend with one All Ireland title win at Kildysart where local owner Tom Casey scored with his Financial Reward filly in the Clare Oil, Banner Contractors and host show’s two-year-old final. Part of Horse Sport Ireland’s showing championship series, the Banner county final attracted nine runners and was judged by producer Jane Bradbury and breeder Pat Fleming. Both Casey’s filly, bought in February, and the reserve champion, the Newell family’s Kilcahill Gemini, are by Donal Goland’s 2011 Croker Cup champion Financial Reward. Both are also traditionally-bred, as the champion is out of a Young Edmond-Ardent Lodger damline and was bred by John Foran in Kilrush. She qualified at the West Clare Show.

Newell’s reserve filly is out of their Colin Diamond mare Kilcahill Diamond, making the Kildysart runner-up a full-sister to Legacy, Dessie Gibson’s Balmoral yearling champion last May and since sold cross-channel. Kilcahill Diamond already has impressive All Ireland form as the national champion at Moate and Mountbellew in her foal days.