WEDNESDAY’s third leg of the Stepping Stones to Success League, the first at which points could be earned this season at Wexford Equestrian, attracted a large entry, particularly for the Childeric four and five-year-old classes.

Fortuitous then that Pat Peare and Orla Roche’s Tomhaggard venue very much escaped the worst of the weather that descended on the eastern seaboard with Roche being surprised to receive ‘phone calls wondering if the competition was going ahead.

It was a particularly lengthy session for the day’s three judges – Marie Hennessy (dressage), Steve Smith (show jumping) and Gillian Kyle (cross-country) – although the jump judges weren’t required for the concluding Treo Eile thoroughbred class which finished at roughly 8pm.

One rider who had a good idea of what the weather was like at Wexford Equestrian was locally-based Patrick Whelan who partnered four Irish Sport Horse geldings in the opening Childeric four-year-old class, two of whom didn’t feature while the other pair finished first and second.

The narrow winner, on a score of 194 points, was Tomgar Valour, who the rider owns in partnership with Julie Radden, while Bobby Johnson, who filled the runner-up spot on 193.8, is owned by local veterinary surgeon Lisa Cash. “The two horses were bred in Co Wexford and were bought in Co Wexford at last year’s Go For Gold Sale,” said Model County advocate Whelan.

Tomgar Valour, who is by Imnotafraid Fortuna, was bred by Walter Kent out of the Lansdown mare Overton Whitby. The bay was consigned to last year’s sale by Ado Moran. “I’d no intention of buying a horse at the Go For Gold,” revealed Whelan. “But when this fellow wasn’t making all that much money, I quickly looked up the sale video online and decided I couldn’t let him go at that price (€11,000).

“Diarmuid Keeling, who works for Willie Mullins, broke him for me. He’s very smart but hasn’t done a lot and only had a few days riding before last week. I have to tell you, I was very disappointed with his dressage score then but, this time, he got the result I think he deserved. He’ll finish this series and we’ll then think about the Dublin qualifiers.”

The same final comment applies to the SHS Soco Blue grey Bobby Johnson who was bred near New Ross by Mark O’Connor for whom he finished third in the colts and geldings’ three-year-old loose jumping championship at Dublin last August. Out of a Yeats mare, out of a Lux Z mare, Bobby Johnson changed hands for €20,000 in the Amber Springs Hotel.

One horse who failed to find a new home that night last November was the Vivant van de Heffinck filly Urlanmore Vivant Cruise who breeders Oliver and Alana-Rose Steele now have with Daniel Alderson. The bay won this class at Wexford Equestrian on April 9th and this week finished third on 186.9.

Pony winner Debbie Flavin and Toovahera \ Tadhg Ryan Bit-Media

Special

The Bridget Speirs-owned and bred ISH gelding BT Just Special won the four-year-old final and league here last year under Diarmuid Ryan, the pair going on to compete in the major young event horse classes throughout the year.

On Wednesday, Ryan and the I’m Special de Muze gelding, who is out of a non-winning thoroughbred mare by Robin des Pres, set out their stall for this season when winning the Childeric Saddles five-year-old class on 192.1 points. Robbie Kearns finished second with Richard Ames’s Quality Time ISH gelding Belline Kasparov (192) ahead of the Louise Codd-partnered Cillbhrid Lucky (190.1), an ISH mare by Lucky Luck.

A trio of five-year-old Connemara geldings filled the top three places in the Doagh Equestrian event pony class.

Two of these were ridden by Debbie Flavin, the winner, Michael Keane’s Toovahera (188.8), a Silver Shadow bay bred by the owner’s wife Avril Hobson out of the Grange Merlin Surf mare Ocean Bealtaine, and the third-placed Pine View Ice Cool (183.2), Geraldine Power’s Ice And Fire d’Albran grey who won here on week one.

Ellen Tracey finished second on her own and Stephen Greene’s Clounanna Danny Boy (187.9), an Ard Ri Oisin grey who won this class seven days previously.

Another week one winner to strike again on Wednesday was the Cian McGee-owned and ridden Carlton Gardens who completed on his dressage score (22.8 penalties) in the Treo Eile thoroughbred to competition horse class where the jumping round isn’t judged but faults are added. The six-year-old British-bred Sea The Stars gelding last ran in an extended 10-furlong handicap at Dundalk in mid-October.

Two in-form horses finished second and third, the Alannah Tobin-ridden Lansing (25) and the Emily Murphy-partnered Lilly Bobtail (25).

Next week’s fourth leg of the league, the Childeric viewing day, takes place on Tuesday.