JAMES O’Connor cannot really take the credit for the excellent weather at Forth Mountain on Thursday but can for the going in the Derby Arena where there was a good covering of grass, complemented by flowing cross-country phase tracks.

Waterford’s Ciara Power and Johnny Widger are experts at producing young horses and their skills were evident here where Power partnered their Irish Sport Horse mare Rossmount Aldo Hero (317.6) to victory in the sole five-year-old RDS young event horse qualifier, thus qualifying for the finals at Lambertstown next month.

The winner, a daughter of Celtic Hero BZ, was bred in Co Clare by Michael Griffin out of the Aldatus Z mare Aldi Clover, a full-sister to Wetherley Marjoram (CIC2*). “Paul Donovan sourced her and we have her since April,” said Power. “She has only had three official outings (pilot error being the reason for the mare’s non-completion in an EI90 at Ballindenisk earlier this month). We think a lot of her and are very pleased with her progress and wonderful attitude so far.”

Showing a high degree of consistency on their own behalf and on that of the judges selected by the Young Eventhorse Series organisers, the first three horses in Section A of the four-year-old class had already qualified. For the record they were the Sian Coleman-ridden winner Diamond Mistress (303.1), MBF Silver Bridge (295.1) who finished second under Nicola Ennis, and the Louise Codd-partnered Hidden Eclipse (293.7).

The qualifying tickets therefore went to the Ian Cassells-ridden Inquisitor (284.8), a traditionally bred Coroner gelding owned by his breeder, Bridget McGing, and a half-brother to her Pointilliste mare Diamond Pointe; and to the fifth-placed Belline Newmarket Delight (281), a Newmarket Venture gelding owned by Richard Ames and ridden by Paddy Byrne.

Based at Belline Estate Equestrian this year, young British rider Laura Birley recorded a comfortable victory on Ames’ KIEF Amazing Marco (284.2) in Section B where Louise Bloomer also qualified in second on her own and Jinnie Webb’s Shannondale Levi (278.8). The winner, a grey gelding by Luidam, was bred in Co Cork by Barbara Bowles out of the Cruise On mare Cruise Countess.

As the third-placed Kilroe Tiger (277.7) had previously qualified in the hands of Sian Coleman, the third ticket went to the Alexandra Hourigan-ridden Olympic Lux gelding Eyes On Me (276.9).

First attempt

On his first attempt, Christopher Whyte qualified for the RDS Junior/Young Rider event horse championship at Lambertstown when winning Thursday’s qualifier with his father Terry’s LadyCraft (304.5) on whom he recorded a double clear at Hillcrest last month on their second outing at EI110 level.

Whyte, who is from Ballymore in Co Westmeath and is studying Business at Athlone Institute of Technology, will be head to Rincoola next week with LadyCraft, a six-year-old mare by Puissance. The bay was bred in Co Tipperary by Rosemary Ponsonby out of her unraced Warcraft mare Warcraft Kate.

“You have to do two qualifiers and I missed Tullylish and Scarteen as I was teaching at the Sligo and Westmeath Pony Club camps,” said the 22-year-old. “We bought this mare as a three-year-old at the September Sale in Goresbridge. While we have some youngsters coming on behind, she is the only eventer we have at the moment and the plan is to hold on to her to bring her up the grades.”