THREE home-bred finalists, that all qualified at Gorey, filled the top three places in the €6,000 All Ireland three-year-old final at a sun-drenched Bannow & Rathangan Show on Thursday when Wicklow owner Daphne Tierney recorded her second win of this coveted title. Sponsored by Horse Sport Ireland and the host show society with additional prizes provided by Galway Crystal/Belleek China, the final attracted 15 contenders.

There was a touch of ‘deja vu’ as Tierney’s previous champion in 2018 - Bloomfield Waterside - was also by Watermill Swatch and produced and shown on the day by the same team of Jane Bradbury and Michael Lyons.

Thursday’s winner is Bloomfield Watergate, a bay home-bred son of Watermill Swatch out of the Ars Vivendi-Regal Sting dam Ballyconnery Bloomfield.

“Watermill Swatch has been very lucky for us, he [Bloomfield Waterside] was the most beautiful foal. It’s only his second show, he went to Gorey, then here and he’s going in the lightweight class in Dublin next,” commented Daphne.

It was a family double for John and Julia Crosbie, whose Brewery Lane was brought out of the preliminary line-up for a second look by judges Rebecca Monahan and Denis Hickey. They then promoted the Cavalier Land gelding to reserve champion in the final shake up. Another entered for Dublin in the middle/heavyweight class, he is out of the prolific mare Hankalaine (Hankalo), a dual Dublin broodmare championship winner.

As an added bonus for the Enniscorthy couple, Brewery Lane’s stable companion Graceland, last Sunday’s All Ireland three-year-old filly champion at Dungarvan, took both third and the highest-placed filly place. Another by the Cavalier Royale son Cavalier Land, the bay is out of the Ghareeb-Stan The Man mare Cloughabrody Esther.

“It’s just amazing, unreal. A very proud moment,” Julia said afterwards. “Our daughter Lisa booked her holiday to Croatia 10 months ago and she’s raging that she missed it! Steven Mitten showed the filly for us and we’re delighted with his help.”

Fourth in the final, part of Horse Sport Ireland’s national showing championship series, was Seamus Lehane’s Ballard Bridge Boy (Condios) and the best-turned-out prize went to P.J and Lorcan Glynn’s Crannaghmore Going For One (Loughehoe Guy), reserve champion in the Dungarvan final.

O’Donnell wins Grand Prix

Waterford’s Paddy O’Donnell proved to be a popular winner of the Gain/Alltech Grand Prix at Bannow & Rathangan. Riding the Miriam Quelly-owned HBF Delmare, the former National Champion lodged the winning round in 36.35 and took home the winner’s share of the €4,000 in the DGM Machinery-sponsored class.

O’Donnell commented: “It’s been some time since I won a National Grand Prix, the last time being on Harristown Princess. I have great memories of this show from competing in lead rein classes, to pony jumping and at Grand Prix level. It’s a show that I really enjoy and the credit to the organising committee for an outstanding job. I would like to thank the Quelly family for letting me ride the horse and no doubt Orla will be taking the reins back soon.”