SAINTFIELD’s Ella Boyle, usual rider of Candy 737, watched Joseph Murphy partner the mare to victory in the CNC* class at Finvoy on Saturday before heading off the next morning to Badminton as assistant groom for Sportsfield Othello and Electric Cruise.

The frustrating, if wise, decision to change riders came about following Candy 737’s early retirement on the cross-country course in the junior one-star class at Tyrella (3). The seven-year-old and Boyle had earlier finished third and second at Tyrella (1) and Lisgarvan so, hopefully, they will be reunited in competition shortly.