BERTRAM Allen’s five-star winning mount Classified has been sold to Stransky’s Mission Farm in Wellington to be ridden by Spain’s Gonzalo Busca Roca.

The nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding by Je T’Aime Flamenco was bred in partnership by Galway vet Philip McManus and John Murphy of Highfort Stud in Cork, out of the Libertino I mare Larissa II. Murphy continued to own the horse until his sale. The gelding was produced for a time in Ireland by Francis Connors and Philip Horgan before joining Allen’s stable in 2020.

In April 2021, he won the youngster final at Sentower Park with Bertram in the saddle. Stepping up to five-star level as an eight-year-old, he won a 1.45m class at the Global Champions Tour of Paris in June and finished the year with another five-star win in Geneva last month.

“We are pleased that Classified will be joining the Stransky’s Mission Farm stables, where we will continue to follow his career. Wishing Gonzalo every success with this talented gelding. He has been an absolute pleasure to ride from day one. Thanks to George and John Murphy at Highford Stud for trusting us with this talented horse,” Bertram Allen said.

High Hopes sold

Ann Marie Fagan’s 11-year-old gelding Essenar High Hopes has also been sold. Produced and ridden to international level by Kilkenny young rider Jack Ryan, the Phin-Phin gelding will be seen in the future under Switzerland’s Sasha Barthe.

With Ryan in the saddle, the gelding won the seven- and eight-year-old Irish Breeders’ Classic final in 2018. In 2019, the pair were part of the bronze medal-winning junior team at the European Championships and he helped Ryan to his first ever international Grand Prix win at Sentower Park later that year.

England-based Sligo show jumper Richard Howley confirmed his top mount Arlo de Blondel (Tlaloc M x Kassidi) has been sold to Germany.

The 11-year-old gelding was hugely successful under Howley, winning multiple Grands Prix and jumping on an Irish team in Prague. Their last international win came just last month in a three-star 1.45m at Oliva.