MANY congratulations to Hannah Smullen, a former member of the Ward Union Branch of the Irish Pony Club, who rode her first winner on the track at Tramore last Friday evening.

The 21-year-old amateur jockey, who is studying law at Trinity, partnered the Gordon Elliott-trained Fillusin, a 6/1 shot, to win the concluding ladies’ bumper by half a length from the 2/5 favourite, Si Se Puede, who was ridden by the four-time champion lady amateur, Jody Townend.

Hannah won in the colours of her mother Frances Crowley, a former champion amateur and classic-winning trainer, and this inaugural success came eight years after her late and much-missed father Pat Smullen won the Derby at Epsom on Harzand who, next time, won the Irish Derby at The Curragh.

Cascading

While Hannah headed home from Tramore to the family’s Brickfield Stud, Frances returned to Millstreet, where son Paddy and daughter Sarah were competing. Had Paddy’s mount Avalon Romulus not taken a time-consuming dislike to the water cascading down the side of the old mill, which resulted in eight penalties, he could well have finished 12th in the CCI2*-L.

The better of Sarah’s results in the CCIP2-L came on the Connemara gelding Dejay, who finished sixth. This 14-year-old Callowfeenish Mairtin grey was originally purchased as a Minimus ride for Sarah who, like Paddy, is a member of the Kildare Branch of the IPC.

Also down at Millstreet, where she was a member of the ground jury for the two 3* classes, was Faith Ponsonby, who bred Sea Music, winner of the beginners’ chase at Kilbeggan on Sunday for the Emmet Mullins yard.