FOR the second year in a row, the €45,000 Irish Breeders’ Classic Final for five and six-year-old horses, was won by the Gary Doherty-bred Ballyshan B F Super Hero (Celtic Hero BZ x Lux Z) back in September.

Having won the prestigious class at Barnadown as a five-year-old in 2023 with Ger O’Neill, the gelding returned to win the prestigious title again this year with Jason Foley in the saddle.

Nine combinations went through to the jump off, where Jason Foley and Ballyshan BF Super Hero posted a winning clear in 36.82 seconds. Foley also claimed second place with the five-year-old Castlefield Notouch (Untouchable x Baloubet de Rouet) in a time of 37.20, while Robyn Moran secured third spot aboard the Padraig Arthur-bred Fortside Obsession.

Speaking after his victory, a delighted Jason Foley said: “This has been an exceptional young horse for me and has remained consistent on the bigger days. This gelding was bred by Gary Doherty and is owned by Abdullah Waleed Al Sharbatly. I would like to thank the owner, and Ger O’Neill for the opportunity to ride this horse. Ger has celebrated multiple successes with this horse as a five-year-old and handed me the reins this year, so I’m very grateful.”

1-2-3

Just a month after winning gold in Lanaken – and she was also part of the gold medal-winning Yong Rider team at the European Championships – Niamh McEvoy gave a fabulous display of her competition riding, when she captured the top-three places in the €15,000 1.50m Plusvital Premier Grand Prix at the Irish Breeders’ Classic Show.

The Tyrone native placed first, second and third in the 29-strong class, which saw eight progress to the timed jump-off. McEvoy took the win riding Greg Broderick’s 10-year-old Dutch-bred gelding Jargon DN (Blue VDL x Indoctro), breaking the beams in 44.58.

The duo had been knocking on the door for a while, having taken second place in the 1.50m Premier Grand Prix in Tattersalls in July, as well as finishing in sixth place in Balmoral in 2023.

McEvoy was runner-up aboard Luisa Horta Osorio’s Portuguese-bred mare Jasmin da Hermida (Milton du Murier x Papillon Rouge) and took third with North Star Sport Horses’ ISH gelding Pablo C (Pollux De Muze Z x Pacino), bred by Jordan Campbell.