THE Felicity McConnell-ridden Easy Pleased brought up a double when winning the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Racehorse to Riding Horse class in the Main Arena at Balmoral Show last Thursday.

It was good to see judges Paul Carberry and Noel Meade form a proper first line-up after the go-around and, following Paul’s riding of all 10 horses forward and their conformation inspection by Noel, their top five remained in that order when the second, and final, line was formed.

The championship sash was awarded to Joyce McConnell’s Easy Pleased who, on his only start for Warren Ewing, unseated his rider five out in a four-year-old geldings’ maiden at Tattersalls in November 2021.

The 2017 Mahler bay was bred by Brendan Nolan out of the Presenting mare Hard To Please. After winning here last year, he had a bit of a break before taking part in unaffiliated dressage and show jumping competitions and, in the spring, he competed in the Baileys Horse Feeds flexi-eventing series at The Meadows. He will be aimed at a career in eventing.

Reserve champion

Standing reserve was Seainin Mahon with last year’s Dublin Horse Show champion General Principle.

Having started his racing career with Stuart Crawford, for whom he won a five-year-old geldings’ maiden at Kirkistown in November 2014, the 2009 Gold Well gelding joined Gordon Elliott who sent him out to win a bumper, a hurdle and three races over fences including the 2018 Irish Grand National.

Seainin works at Elliott’s Cullentra House Stables as does Darren Treacy who has groomed for Seainin and General Principle since they started their showing journey.

The ITBA was represented at Balmoral Park by its chief executive officer, Una Tormey, and Dean Harron, council president and a trustee of the Association. Dr Harron had the task of selecting the best turned-out combination and he awarded that accolade to Donaghcloney trainer Suzy Barkley, a director of the British and Irish Thoroughbred Agency which rehomes/retrains racehorses, and her 11-year-old Mr Dinos gelding McQuinn.

Royal Windsor

There were five classes for thoroughbreds at last week’s Royal Windsor Horse Show where the much-beribboned Minella Rebellion finished reserve in the Retraining of Racehorses Tattersalls thoroughbred ridden show horse championship.

Winner of the National Hunt class under owner Katie Dashwood, this 2012 King’s Theatre bay finished second in a four-year-old geldings’ maiden at Dawstown in early May 2016 on his only run for John Nallen.

Later that month, he changed hands for £90,000 but failed to win in five outings over hurdles for the Nicky Henderson yard and was retired in September 2017.

The Windsor ridden champion was the flat class winner, the British-bred Imperial Ruby.

Recently repatriated to breeder Jim Bolger’s Redmondstown Stud in Co Wexford, New Approach sired the winner of the Tattersalls RoR open in-hand show series qualifier, the British-bred First Receiver.

The six-year-old is produced by Katie Jerram-Hunnable who partnered him to victory in the SEIB racehorse to riding horse championship at the Horse of the Year Show last October.

Bred at Deerpark Stud, the 2015 Intense Focus mare Salire, who finished third once in seven runs as a two-year-old, won the RoR thoroughbred polo pony award.

Show dates

There are plenty of opportunities coming up on the Irish showing circuit for ex-racehorses with classes affiliated to either Racehorse to Riding Horse Ireland (which is again running an All-Ireland open championship with the Irish Shows Association culminating in a final at Tullow Show in August) or Treo Eile.

The latter organisation has combined with Tattersalls Ireland to run a showing pathway series which starts today at the Sceilig Showing Festival, is running a show jumping series in line with the Five Stars Tour and the Baby Stars Tour and is sponsoring a thoroughbred league with Eventing Ireland.

Tomorrow, as the Connolly’s Red Mills/Irish Pony Club eventing series gets under way in Co Wexford, IPC members competing thoroughbreds can start collecting Treo Eile league points.