THE now customary parade of ex-racehorses at Punchestown was staged on the Wednesday of the Festival when 16 horses, who have found new careers, returned to a racing environment where some had performed better than others in the past.

There were only three mares in the parade including the former Takashi Kodama-trained Departures, a 2015 Fast Company bay who ran five times on the flat at two and three.

She is now being produced by Julie Morris, her rider on Wednesday and founder of Racehorse to Riding Horse Ireland.

Looking at some of the other horses alphabetically, there would have been plenty of interest in seeing the dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Al Boum Photo (FR), whose final start was in May last year.

Since leaving the Willie Mullins yard, the 11-year-old Buck’s Boum gelding has been brought along slowly by Louise Duffy who is now going to produce him for dressage and eventing.

Winner of the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham in 2013 and a Grade 1 winner over hurdles, the ex-Willie Mullins-trained Briar Hill (IRE) last ran in January 2017. Since 2020, he has been produced for show jumping and showing by Coco Doran who hopes to qualify for the Dublin Horse Show this year.

Coco is a past pupil of Grennan College and, since last September, Briar Hill has been a member of the equine team there. The 2008 Shantou gelding is used, along with others, to train students for the British Horse Society examinations, teach Transition Year students to ride and he also ‘helps’ with Irish Pony Club exams.

At Punchestown, Briar Hill was judged as the best turned-out horse by British visitor Heather Johnston and Coco credited the Grennan students for this.

Plenty admirers

The 2009 Gold Well gelding General Principle (IRE) had plenty of admirers as a racehorse when trained by Gordon Elliott for Gigginstown House Stud to win five races, including a Grade 3 chase and the 2018 Irish Grand National. He last ran in November 2020.

However, the bay, and his rider Seainin Mahon, now have a different and possibly larger set of followers, particularly on-line, since his transition to a riding horse. They capped a very successful showing season in 2022 when winning the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Racehorse to Riding Horse Championship at the Dublin Horse Show.

When trained by Dermot Weld, Hidden Universe (IRE) won eight races from 25 starts. These comprised three wins in bumpers, including the Grade 1 Champion INH Flat Race at the 2010 Punchestown Festival, four wins under the Rules of Racing and one over hurdles. He last ran in September 2016.

Produced

The 2006 grey Linamix gelding is now being produced by Rachel Maher, manager of the Clondalkin Equine Club where his rider on Wednesday, Vina Ward, is a member.

Vina is currently attending the Racing Academy and Centre of Education (RACE) in Kildare.

Indian Landing (IRE), who last ran in November 2017, won six handicaps between six and seven furlongs, when trained by Tracy Collins. The 2008 Barathea gelding, who won the 2019 ITM Racehorse to Riding Horse Championship, now competes at Elementary level under Dressage Ireland rules with his rider here, Debbie Tems, and they are working towards Medium.

Royal Red Persian (IRE), who last appeared on a racecourse in July 2021, was placed twice on the flat when trained by Mark Fahey. The 2017 Heeraat gelding has taken a different route to others in the parade as he is currently competing with Endurance Riding Eireann under Isabella Caradoc.

He was the most progressive thoroughbred in the club last year, winning the RH2RH IRE trophy.