WHILE thankfully escaping the fate of the cancelled Croker Cup for thoroughbred stallions, it appears that numbers will be down this year for the Irish Draught stallion class on Friday. Some 17 stallions were entered in 2012, the largest class in recent years, however a number of recent entries have not returned for 2018.

These include Seamus Sloyan’s Cloneyhea Spellbound and Ann Lambert’s Killinick Bouncer, fifth and sixth respectively last year. However, Killinick Bouncer fans will still have an opportunity to see the Grange Bouncer son in the Irish Draught performance final on Wednesday, while Draught fans in town for Thursday’s mare and foal classes can watch the stallions on parade on Thursday. (See the timetable on page 37).