FORMER flat jockey turned dairy farmer Paul Scallan fared best of the Irish raiders when second in last Saturday’s Golden Button Challenge which was revived after a four-year break at the new venue of Manor Farm, Longdon.

Run by members of the Ledbury Hunt, the race covers three miles of Gloucestershire countryside interspersed with 25 imposing hedges and ditches. Irish winners of the Challenge in the past were jockeys Paul Carberry (2009) and Eddie Ahern (2007).

Scallan, who milks around 100 cows at his farm in Cleariestown, Co Wexford, travelled over to Longdon last Thursday in the company of fellow Killinick member John Ellard, Carlow Farmers’ whip Jody Skelton and Co Limerick Foxhounds member Ruairi Brennan.

The other three all completed as did Ward Union members Christy Reynolds (chairman), Fran Lally (committee) and Louis Doyle. Unfortunately, the Tara Harriers’ Vincent Flood, who journeyed across with the Ward trio, was brought down. Thirty-nine of the 62 starters completed the course.

Scallan, who fell at the third last in his sole previous attempt at the Golden Button in 2010, was delighted with the performance of his mount, Los Galacticos. The 14-year-old Portrait Gallery gelding, who ran twice on the track and in seven in point-to-points, was third over the banks’ course at Lingstown in 2009.

“He was perfect after the race and I’ll do a bit of hunter-trialling with him now,” said Scallan who, in 2002, finished second in the Irish Derby on the Aidan O’Brien-trained Sholokhov. “Like myself, he’s not getting any younger so we wouldn’t want to be doing too much!” Paul and company didn’t stay for the ball on racenight as Jody had to get back to hunt on Sunday as did the group’s supporter, Carlow Farmers’ huntsman Ado Moran.

The Golden Button Challenge was won by Newbury property consultant Dominic Gwyn-Jones who rode the British-bred Another Puzzle, an 11-year-old Another Hoarwithy gelding whose racing career was concluded following six runs in chases and four in point-to-points.