DEAN Wilson and Emerson Tough’s, All Faith MF, have been bang in form recently, the pair booking their ticket to the 2016 Blue Chip championships with a brilliant victory in the Blue Chip Power qualifier held at South View EC.

Wilson, who hails from Kilkenny, has been based with Manchester dealer and rider Emerson Tough for the past five months and has been kept busy competing some promising young horses and experienced rides.

All Faith MF, a five-year-old by Vigaro out of a Numero Uno mare, has shown remarkable consistency under Wilson’s guidance in recent weeks and they had to be at their brilliant best to head the 18-strong jump-off at South View.

“She is ultra careful and has masses of scope but with the early riders setting some pace, this proved to he a hot class. There was no choice but to take all the inside options and keep as forward as possible and I think by taking strides out between the first two fences and the last clinched it for us,” said Wilson.

Prior to South View, Wilson and the snaffle-mouthed mare won a competitive five-year-old class at Arena UK.

BREATHER

“That was only our second outing and we had to steer inside routes and not take a breather all the way again,” added Wilson, who heads home to Ireland for Christmas.

Arena UK’s recent premier show also provided Richard Howley with a good win.

Riding Chinook III, the Sligo rider set an unbeatable target in a hotly contested 1.40m class.

“We were drawn early and couldn’t afford to hang about, so we kept, neat, tidy and tight everywhere.

“Chinook had just had a couple of weeks off so he was also up for the win,” said Howley who travelled on to Roosendaal where the Tygo eight-year-old was again in the money.

Adding to Howley’s ribbon haul at Arena UK were the six-year-olds Millfield Ester – who finished eighth in the newcomer class and new ride Hayley Harrison’s Carpe Diem Z, who finished higher up the order in fifth place.

“Both horses have been chipping along nicely over the winter and I hope to take them both to Spain early next year,” said Howley.

At the recent Hartpury Spectacular show, Michael Duffy clinched a good second place in the first leg of the big tour riding Sassy Cassie, Eoin Gallagher finished seventh in the small tour first leg riding the Irish Sport Horse Luidam seven-year-old Lord Luidam and Malvern-based Bryan Smith claimed fifth spot in the 1.20m riding Osprey Hookster.

Further South, Ken Ashe and the Irish Sport Horse Urlanmore Cavalier, by Ricardo Z, maintained their winning run.

After three winter victories at Quob Stables and Crofton Manor, the pair scored another victory in the 1.10m open at the pre-Christmas Crofton Manor fixture.

Mark Dorgan also proved in winning form-riding Vorbert who won the Foxhunter class.

Finishing second to Dorgan was Keith Doyle riding the British-bred son of Mr Visto, Visto’s Travichello.

Doyle also finished in sixth place riding Lambus.