A SEA of mostly greys would best describe Ring 1 on Thursday afternoon for the parkbytext-sponsored Irish Draught mare and foal classes, which attracted the usual interested ringside following.

Since the sad loss of last year’s supreme champion Holycross Grace, a new name was set to appear on the Eileen Parkhill salver and first to throw down the gauntlet was the winner of the opening class, Hio Lady Bountyful.

A memorable Thursday for Enniscorthy exhibitors began with Lisa Comiskey’s two-year-old championship win with her Watchouse High Hopes and Joan Douglas’s Hio Lady Bountiful kept up the Model County winning streak in the three and four-year-old mare class. Incidentally, Douglas and her partner John Murphy foaled down Comiskey’s champion’s dam and grandam.

By the Coolcronan Wood sire Kiltealy Silver and out of the Carrabawn View mare Martin’s Lady, she was bred by George Webster and Mary Chapman in Rathnew. The grey roan saw off the challenge of the year-older pair of Edenagor Rosie, by Carrickrock Close Shave, and Cloondalgan View, by Roma Caen Hill Flight, owned by Jim McNulty and Darragh Cosgrove.

In sharp contrast to the young mare class, the senior division saw the ring filled by mares with foals at foot and judges Heather Milner and Norwegian equine vet Per Martens had their work cut out separating the pack.

She’s a Princess

Good movement was a common trend amongst this year’s Dublin judges and it was Fuerty Princess who most impressed both judges. Sold as a foal at Cavan by her Enfield breeder Michael Bailey, she is now owned by Mary Murphy and the Welcome Emperor seven-year-old held her place at the top of a stellar line up.

Second was John Bracken’s Balmoral champion Lady Hattie, by Agherlow, with two former winners filling the next places in the 2017 Dublin champion Strictly Come Bouncing, owned by Sean Ruane, and Danny Molloy’s Clogheen Jenny.

After producing another ground-covering trot, Fuerty Princess was called forward as champion with Hio Lady Bountyful as reserve.“Wonderful movement,” commented Milner afterwards.

“We were both very keen for the horse to be a fluid mover. It can go on then to do another discipline. We both honed in on movement on both days. We definitely needed each other! [to keep track of the large classes]”

James Hoare’s Dublin week had also got off to a good start when Dowdstown Purple, now owned by Barry and Jackie Marsh, was the Irish Draught performance reserve champion on Wednesday. James took the foal championship on Thursday evening with Dowdstown Purple’s half-brother by Moylough Legacy, and standing reserve to this colt was Seamus Duffy’s filly winner by Harkaway Lionhawk, who stands with Martin Murphy.

“Lovely topline and presence, elegant head and clean lines,” was Milner’s verdict on their champion colt. “The filly was very athletic.

“I wouldn’t want to go lighter than her but athleticism is very necessary to do any job.”

The part-bred Draught class foal was another, like Saturday’s thoroughbred-sired foal class, dropped this year. Duffy had won this part-bred class last year with Kilmovee Discovery, a Diamond Discovery half-sister to his Draught reserve champion foal, as both are out of his Moylough Bouncer mare, Beechmore White Carnation.

Now a yearling, Kilmovee Discovery won the filly class the following morning for her Roscommon owners.

Now in its second year, the online entry system is still exasperating some owners. “It was like an hour and a half of an endurance test of mind and body! It’s the most complex online system of any show. Balmoral, Armagh and Gorey are all online entry but straightforward. Something needs to be done about it,” remarked one, while others suggested holding qualifiers for the Irish Draught mare classes.