TEN individual riders have partnered winners at EI100 level this season with four of these scoring twice, three of them in the more northern half of the country.

The odd one out was Co Waterford’s Sharon Power who, on board Tullibards Benny And Jess, won a four-runner class at Blackstairs (2) on Sunday, April 3rd, and the seven-starter class at Ballindenisk (1) last Sunday.

Tullibards Benny And Jess, a six-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Tullibards Bennys Legacy, was bred by the Kuehnle family at their Tullibards Stud in Co Laois out of the Concetto mare, Cosima 189.

He was competed once by both Angela Goldsbury and Paul Donovan before Power took over the ride in April last year.

Bernadette Curry’s two wins on her thoroughbred gelding Teo’s Chance came at Lightsource BP Tyrella (2) on Saturday, April 2nd, and just over a month later at Punchestown (1).

At the first of those events, where the Glaslough resident faced 12 rivals, Curry, who completed on her flatwork score (26.8), benefitted when the dressage winner on 24 penalties, Nicky Nesbitt, had a fence down show jumping with Ringfort India. There were just six starters at Punchestown where, again, Curry finished on her first phase score (31.8) while Charlie Walshe dropped out of contention when Herobrine, who led after dressage, had problems on both jumping phases.

Teo’s Chance, who was bred by James Waldron, is an unraced 11-year-old gelding by Teofilo. He is out of the unraced Daylami mare Very Nice who bred four winners on the track including the Listed-placed Teofilo’s Princess who, not too surprisingly, is also by Teofilo.

Another unraced thoroughbred, Belle Saru, ridden by a Glaslough native, Caroline McQuillan, won twice this season from four starts and was placed on the other two occasions.

The pair struck first at Lightsource BP Tyrella (4) on Saturday, April 23rd, when, in spite of four show jumping penalties, they defeated nine rivals. They were back in action three weeks later at Glenpatrick where, again, they lowered a coloured pole but, with a very good dressage score, they had over three points in hand.

Teo's Chance and Bernadette Curry, EI100 (Amateur) winners at Punchestown 1 \ Tadhg Ryan Bit-Media

Second foal

First produced through the 2021 Stepping Stones to Success league by Jimmy Quirke, Belle Saru is a six-year-old mare by Sageburg and is the second foal out of the unraced Robin Des Champs mare Dereme. This is the family of Big Zeb whose 13 wins included six at Grade 1 level.

Christina Turley has also recorded two wins, from five starts, this season with her 14-year-old bay gelding Ann’s Bob who has no recorded breeding. They struck first at Hazeldene on Saturday, May 7th, when they led throughout the six-strong class while they also recorded an all-the-way win at Castle Irvine, Necarne last Saturday. Christina made the most of her visit to Co Fermanagh, travelling over on Friday evening in the company of partner, Ciaran Kearney, and their baby daughter Sadie.

No EI90 Amateur rider has managed to score more than once yet this season but special mention must be made of Co Louth’s Aoife Hanratty who, in winning on her seasonal debut at Lightsource BP Tyrella 3 on Saturday, April 16th, was completing a five-timer on her 11-year-old grey gelding Newtowns Silver Bobby.

The pair, who have since moved up to EI100 level, are the reigning EI90 (Amateur) national champions.