FOULKSMILLS exhibitor John Roche thought he could never equal last year’s outstanding results at the Dublin Horse Show but he again tasted sweet victory in both the breeding and young horse classes last week, this time taking Friday’s youngstock title with the 2016 reserve champion, Assagart Lord Lancer.

“It took a lot of balls to come back here and do what I did!” commented Roche who bred the three-year-old Castleforbes Lord Lancer gelding out of the Big Sink Hope mare My Only Hope. “I’ve always held this fellow in high regard. He’s a real showman – even at home – and has the X-factor needed to compete and win at a big show, in a big arena, like Dublin.