THERE was great excitement in Newport, Co Mayo, at the end of 2020 when the traditional Irish Sport Horse Rock Phantom achieved his qualification score for the Tokyo Olympic Games, due to take place this summer.

The now 10-year-old Spirit House (TB) gelding is ridden by Brazil’s Nilson Moreira Da Silva but his story starts in Newport, Co Mayo, where he was bred by Maura O’Malley, who keeps just two broodmares as a hobby.