THIRTEEN proved a lucky number for the Connacht exhibitors placed amongst the top-three in this year’s Irish Draught mare, foal and stallion classes. The western raiders good run on ‘Draught Day’ began when Grace Maxwell Murphy and William McMahon’s Gleann Rua For Love won the young mare class.

Brought in top from the outset, judges William Moran and French vet Yves Gay scrambled the remainder of their preliminary lineup of 13 entries, with second and third places going to Jack Murphy’s Castleview Perfect Illusion (Barnaview Grosvenor Star) and Julianne Corrigan’s Fair Holly (Harkaway Lionhawk), third in this class for a second year.

Padraig Bohan’s Gortfadda Ruby Kingdom had won the young mare class six years ago and rose to the top in the following 18-strong open class for five-year-old and over mares.

The blue ribbon went to Castleview Perfect Illusion’s dam Fuerty Princess (Welcome Emperor), champion mare here four years ago for Mary Murphy and in third was Donegal owner Jim McNulty’s Edenagor Lily (Gentle Diamond).

The championship for the Eileen Parkhill salver, named after the great Irish Draught doyenne, came down to the four greys: present and past young mare class winners and the unique sight of the Murphy’s dam and daughter pair, all competing for the title. The sight of two young exhibitors - Jack Murphy and Paul Bohan, equally adept at showing his Gortfadda Herefords - was particularly encouraging.

It was Gleann Rua For Love’s hour with Gortfadda Ruby Kingdom as reserve. Bought as a foal from Mayo breeder Noel Sheridan, the champion is a three-year-old by Cappa Amadeus and out of the Castana mare Springvale Countess, making her a full-sister to Patrickswell Sherry, JJ Bowe’s good performance Draught.

“I always wanted a Dublin filly and a picture popped up on Done Deal of a photo of a foal in a stable. She was absolutely stunning and her two-year-old full-brother [Patrickswell Sherry] was there too at Noels. Seeing him, it was easy to see what the mare was going to turn into. It was just a dream come true that she came into the three-year-old that we hoped she would and she just went up on the big stage and did it,” said Grace afterwards.

The reserve champion was also bought as a foal by Mohill native Bohan from her Ballyvourney breeder Sean Scannell and is a Coolcronan Wood 10-year-old out of the Star Kingdom mare, Ruby Steele.

Parade

Thursday is a good day for Draught spectators, (some present from Canada, South Africa and the USA, as well as several cross-channel stalwarts), gathered to watch the Irish Draught classes and stallion parade.

Many of the overseas visitors were present too at a reception hosted by the Irish Horse Board at its stand in Simmonscourt for the Irish Draught community, timed during the lull between the morning’s mare classes and foal classes in the evening.

This split between Irish Draught classes is proving unpopular for both exhibitors and spectators with the majority gone home by the time the final foal class was judged by 8.30pm.

The western winning streak continued in the disjointed schedule when Swinford owner Dominic Cassidy won the foal championship for a second year, this time with his filly foal winner The Grail’s Girl. Second in this dozen-strong class was Padraig Bohan’s Gortfadda Delight (Inisfree The Iron Cross) while Dubliner Jimmy Heery broke the western chain with his third-placed Windgap Reliance filly.

The reserve foal champion was Jimmy Noone’s colt winner, completing a double for the winning pair’s sire Inisfree The Holy Grail. Second from the half-dozen colts was Pat Murphy’s Gortfree Hero colt ahead of his niece Martina Murphy with hers by Castleview Inisfree Farmer.

Last Thursday was certainly a clean sweep at Dublin for offspring of stallions bred by Martina’s late father Eddie, including both the champion and reserve foals. Not only the same sire but both the champion and reserve foals respective dams - Ringrove Farmers Lady and Crusheen Luna - are by Tors Gentleman Farmer.

The part-bred foal class attracted two entries and was won by Tom Mooney’s Another Pleasure colt.