IT’S been the year of coronations and one more new champion scenario plays out in the Irish Draught mare classes at Dublin this year.

Both the reigning champion and reserve mares - Liam Lynskey’s DS Bounce With Me Baby and Pat Hoare’s Moylough Broadway - will not feature in next Thursday’s classes.

Waiting for a late arriving foal, (by Lynskey’s own Connemara stallion Black Shadow) and finding the mare class entries were then full, scuppered her Derryronane Stud owner’s chances of retaining the Eileen Parkhill salver for another year.

The Moylough Bouncer mare and her Connemara-cross foal will board Lynskey’s lorry though as the mare is instead entered in Saturday’s middle/heavyweight broodmare class.

Two more former Dublin champions - Seamus Sloyan’s triple champion Elm View and John Roche’s Assagart Kingstead Fiona - bowed out from Ring 1 at last year’s show.

However, another previous champion Martin and Mary Murphy’s Fuerty Princess is back this year. Champion in 2019, the Welcome Emperor 11-year-old faces opposition from Clew Bay Countess, another Mayo contender now owned by Bridget Devaney. Winner of the young mare class in 2016, the Clew Bay Bouncer mare stood reserve champion that year for then-owner Sloyan.

An intriguing encounter is in store in the opening young mare class for three or four-year-old Irish Draughts as among the entries are two daughters of previous Dublin champions.

Seamus Sloyan’s Silver View, last year’s All-Ireland two-year-old Draught filly champion at Limerick Show, is by Fast Silver out of the aforementioned Elm View. Meanwhile, Martin Murphy’s Castlegate Perfect Illusion, by Barnaview Grosvenor Star out of Fuerty Princess, was a winner at Athenry and Athlone already this summer. The Mayo pair met at Ballina where Sloyan’s filly topped that particular line-up.

Another confirmed entry in this opening class is Pat Finn’s Kentucky Broker, a four-year-old Scrapman daughter and a recent winner at Loughrea.

The Irish Draught mare and foal classes will follow last year’s split timetable with these classes continuing later on Thursday afternoon after the traditional parade of Irish Draught stallions in Ring 1.

“Draught Day” is always a traditional meet up between Irish and international Draught fans with a long day in store for exhibitors and spectators before the mare and foal champions are decided on Thursday evening.

The same combination of French vet Yves Gay, from Fontainebleau and William Moran, from Tyne & Wear, will also judge Thursday’s Irish Draught classes.