LEAH Stack showed just how right Greg Broderick was to take her on as a full-time rider at his Ballypatrick Stables operation when she claimed her other big win of the Irish Breeders’ Classic, the five- and six-year-old All Studbooks final last Sunday morning aboard Triplet T Calamando Blue.

Leah, who came up through ponies being trained by Lucy Allen, began working for Ballypatrick a little over a year ago. She has been joined this year by Niamh McEvoy who finished school in June. The two girls, alongside Kevin Gallagher, make a formidable team and all three will head to Lanaken in a couple of weeks.

Of the 30 starters in the All Studbooks final, 13 left all the fences up to progress to the jump-off. Eight combinations produced a second clear and Stack was fastest of these stopping the clock at 33.66 for the win.

Speaking to The Irish Field after the class, she said: “Triplet T Calamando Blue is a six-year-old gelding by the Holstein sire Stamm out of Stutbuch 1 Chadoueette, by Chacco Blue. He is owned by Canadian Gary Hazelwood.

“He is fairly new to me. I had only jumped him once at home before the show. He jumped really well in the first round. He has a great brain, I thought he may be a bit green but he was 100%. He is very willing.

“In the jump-off I didn’t know how fast I could go but Greg said to give it a go, he said he’s brave and he’ll do it. I started off in a good rhythm and did a tight turn back to two. I did the seven down to three and I stayed going round the corners to the double. He was very clever in the double; he backed off and then popped out, I was quite forward in. Then I did the seven to the last. He had only really done 1.10m classes at local shows up to this so I think it shows his class that he stepped up like this.”

Grateful

Stack gave credit to the team at Ballypatrick, saying: “We have a great background team here in Ballypatrick who do amazing work preparing the horses. I’m grateful to Greg for all the training and the opportunities he has given me in the past year. I have learned so much from him.

“I’m also grateful to the all the owners, Noel Cawley and Gary Hazelwood who trust me to ride their horses, and to my sponsor Homestead Saddlery. Kim Doherty who looks after the horses for me is a vital part of the team and I couldn’t do it without her.”

Castlefield Breeding Farm’s five-year-old stallion Silvester Van’t Ameldonk Z (Solid Gold Z x Casall) with Ger O’Neill in the saddle took the runner-up prize when the broke the finish beams in 34.29.

Eddie Moloney and Ellie Moloney’s Irish-bred HZ Bogan (Elvie Ter Putte x Ramiro B) were third in 34.72, while fourth place went to Abbie Sweetnam riding Dora The Explorer (Dibadu L x Cornet Obolensky).

Fifth went to Michelle Kenny and Maestro RLE (Hampshire VDL x Indoctro). Sophie Richards and Artic Blue (A Pikachu De Muze x Chacco Blue) were sixth.