FORGE Meadow won the George Mernagh Memorial bumper at Fairyhouse, a race sponsored by Tattersalls Ireland in honour of their former managing director. The race is always hotly contested and this year’s winner Forge Meadow continued a brilliant run in bumpers by horses trained by Jessica Harrington.

Bred by Richard Healy, Forge Meadow was first offered for sale at Goresbridge as a foal and was unsold at €1,800.

The following year she was bought for €3,500 by George Mullins and then reappeared at the Derby Sale last year, being snapped up by her trainer for €27,000. She won more than double that amount on her first start!

A daughter of Beneficial and the unraced Bob Back mare Ballys Baby, the pedigree of Forge Meadow has been seriously boosted in recent years.

This is thanks to the exploits of two progeny of Ballys Baby’s full-sister Bobbing Back.

She is the dam of last year’s Grand National winner and one of the leading fancies for this year’s race Many Clouds, and his Grade 1 winning brother The Tullow Tank.

Much more will be heard of this family and Forge Meadow’s career path will gain much more attention than normal now.

Breeders, stallion masters and readers are invited to contact leopowell@theirishfield.ie and visit our website www.theirishfield.ie with breeding news