CASTLEFIELD Breeding Farm’s six-year-old mare Castlefield Duchess was named the five and six-year-old All Studbook Irish Champion at the Irish Breeders’ Classic show in Barnadown last Saturday.

By Conthragos out of Madame del Gardesano by Quidam de Revel, she was ridden to the win by Junior Jack Kent.

Almost 50% of the 30 starters produced a clear in the first round of the 1.10m competition, which was sponsored by Aloga Equestrian and Castlefield Breeding Farm to the tune of €10,000.

First to go in the jump-off was Max Foley riding Bravo Hughes’ GCS Paradise (Dignified Van’t Zorgvliet x Vigo D’Arsouilles), bred by Eoin Brennan. They kept a clean sheet in round two and stopped the clock in a time of 38.23 for eventual third place.

Second in was Jason Higgins riding his own and Meabh Bolger’s gelding Ogue MBF (Eldorado Van De Zeshoek x Aldato), bred by Anne Murphy. They were unlucky to have one fence down for four faults in 38.50, which saw them finish outside of the placings.

Sophie Richards and her own and Maurice Cousins’ Belgian-bred gelding Top Gun VD Bisschop (Comme d’api VD Hacienda Z x Heartbreaker) produced a clear round in 41.56, which kept them inside the money in seventh place.

Vincent Byrne and Denis Lynch’s Tipperary Finest-owned Dutch-bred stallion Outlaw (Manchester Van ‘T Paradijs x Phin Phin) also managed to produce a clear in 43.04.

2024 National Champion Patrick Hickey and WOW Trading’s Unifly (United Touch S x Cornet Obolensky) were next to deliver a double clear, theirs coming in 43.27.

Jason Foley rode Castlefield Breeding Farm’s Castlefield Future (Cornet Obolensky x Balou Du Rouet) to a clear in 38.24 for fourth place.

Robyn Moran and Vera Griffin’s Movie Star (Colman x Calido), Emma O’Dwyer and her own Ardragh Celtic Breeze (Celtic Hero BZ x Ardragh Gi Jane), Sophie Richards and Maurice Cousins’ Havana MK Z (Hooch DK x Chico’s Boy), Gary Dooley with Stephen Moore’s Cynar De Ponthual (Clarimo x Le Tot de Semilly) were all fault-free, while Kent and Castlefield Duchess were fourth last to go and produced the fastest time of 36.60.

The next two contenders, Nicholas Connors and Chelone (Cicero Z x Wandor Van De Mispelaere) and Ethen Ahearne and Nozem B (Jardonnay VDL x Cantos), had one fence down apiece.

Last to go, Gary Dooley riding Michael Duffy’s Killard Be Mine (Brantzau x Taloubet Z), left all the poles in place in 37.61, which was good enough for second place.