ALL eyes were on the main arena on Sunday at Millstreet International Horse Show when 32 qualified combinations battled it out in a bid to claim the prestigious Millstreet Ruby five-year-old final.

The standard in the class was high with 11 combinations booking their place against the clock. Leading the victory lap when they came home with nothing to add in a time of 35.66 was Katie McEntee and Castlefield Duchess.

Owned by Castlefield Breeding Farm, the mare is by Conthragos out of Madame del Gardesano. The combination delivered clear rounds in both of the qualifiers earlier in the week. They have clocked up consistent results in the Horse Sport Ireland Studbook Series and finished second in the final in Balmoral.

“It was great to see one of our mares win this very competitive class,” said Ger O’Neill, owner of Castlefield Duchess. “Katie and her father Aldo have done a tremendous job producing the mare. They qualified for Dublin and for the final which was a super achievement.

“It means a lot for our mares to win a class like this. Every year we breed about 30 foals and the early ones are now coming of age and are showing promising talent. We have a full-sister to this mare that is going straight into the breeding programme. Overall it was a great day, I helped Katie on the day and she won, as did Jason Higgins and Seamus Hughes Kennedy. It was a day that we will all remember,” O’Neill added.

Deane Rogan and Silvermines Cornet Cruise came closest to catching the winner but was almost two seconds slower, when coming home clear in 37.20. Owned by Declan McGarry and bred by Clement Stapleton, the Irish Sport Horse gelding is by Cornet Obolensky out of the Cruising-sired Sligo Cruise Way.

Molly Hughes Bravo stayed within the 37 second mark with HHS Ocala, delivering a clear in 37.88 for third place. Bred by Hughes Bravo, the gelding is by Urano de Cartigny out of the Wandor Van De Mispelaere-sired Hera Van’t Roosakker. Under the command of Maria Vozone, the gelding finished third in the five-year-old class in the HHS Charity Show.

Fourth place

A clear from Jamie Landers and Hilliards Quality in 38.28 saw them take eventual fourth place. Owned by Pat Sheahan and bred by Shawn Curry, the mare is by OBOS Quality out of the Heritage Fortunus-sired Chatworth Miss Fortunus.

Emma O’Dwyer and BP Millionaire crossed the line fractions behind Landers in a time of 38.36 for fifth place. Owned by Equine Evolve, the gelding is by Million Dollar.

It was a good day for the Bravo Hughes stable as John McEntee partnered HHS Venice to a clear in 38.54 for sixth place. The home-bred mare is by Emerald Van’t Ruytershof and is another one out of the excellent breeding line, Heritage Fortunus x HHS Fairy Fort.