ALL roads led to Ballynoe on Sunday for what was the 30th anniversary of the coveted Gain Horse Feeds Gain Mares’ Final. The featured event this year came complete with a €3,000 bonus to the winner, generously sponsored by Gain Horse Feeds and the Ballynoe Hunt. My Old Gold recorded a scintillating success in the hands of first-time partner Johnny Hurley, giving her handler Declan Queally back-to-back wins in this race.

Queally, who sent out Thegirlfrommilan to triumph here 12 months ago, sustained a whip ban at last month’s Cheltenham Festival which, unfortunately, ruled him out of the weekend action. As it transpired, 22-year-old Hurley, who was born literally adjacent to the track in the townland of Kilavorilla, never experienced an anxious moment aboard the previous Sunday’s Liscarroll winner.