THE Ballyward Equestrian five/six-year-old All Studbook Consolation Final kicked off the action on the Sunday of the Irish Breeders’ Classic at Barnadown and the calibre of horse and rider shone brightly under the grey skies. With less than one second separating the top four combinations, it was a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat class, with top junior rider Lauren Adams proving why she is one of the riders to fear in a class.

Not satisfied with just winning the class, she also came second, with Adams winning on her mother Dale’s six-year-old Playboy ASJ. The pair broke the finish beams clear in 31.44, just 0.4 seconds ahead of herself and another six-year-old BP Le Tara, owned by Gary and Leslie Hazelwood from Triple T Farms.