THE six-year-old division of Wednesday’s RDS qualifier at Mullingar Equestrian Centre saw 63 combinations start for the 12 qualifying places on offer.

As just 19 riders went clear in the first round and, of those, nine were clear in the second, those nine officially divided first place with the remaining three places being decided on the time of the fastest four-faulters.

Junior rider Tadhg McKiernan took the red ribbon on the day with Castlelawn Sibon after they stopped the clock at 37.53. By Sibon W out of Ryan’s Pet (Ricardo Z), she was bred by Damien McInerney and has been placed consistently at 1.20m this year as well as performing well in a challenging Cavan Crystal final in 2021.

It was tight at the top with very little separating the top three. GBBS Int Ltd and Micheal O’Callaghan’s BP First of Many was guided into second place by Kevin Gallagher just marginally slower than the victor in 37.55. By Dignified van’t Zorgvliet out of BP Mystico (Indoctro), she was bred by GBBS Int Ltd.

Mikey Pender and the Bravo Hughes-owned and bred HHS Rose (Lamm De Fetan x Don Juan De La Bouverie) finished in third, again just a fraction slower in 37.56.

Fourth place went to Francis Derwin Jnr riding Carol Gee’s Dutch-bred Leonardo in 37.78. Vincent Byrne guided Killavallig Farm’s Belgian-bred stallion QualityTime Van Het Heieinde (Elvis Ter Putte x Kashmir Van Schuttershof) to fifth.

MCS Leisester (Dallas VDL x Rose of Lennon), ridden and owned by Hannah Agnew, slotted into sixth, while Tholm Keane rode Seamus Drea’s DSH Lucky Junior (BBS McGregor x Luidam) to seventh.

Shanaclough Luichew (Luidam x Coolcornan Wood) and Andrew Hodgins were eighth, while Abbie Sweetnam steered Dora the Explorer (Dibadu L x Cornet Obolensky) into ninth.

Mikey Pender’s Belgian-bred Serena VD Berghoeve was 10th with Wesley Ryan in the saddle as the fastest four- faulter. Brendan Murphy and Susan Fitzpatrick’s Grennanstown Max A Million (KEC Maximum Joe x OBOS Quality 004) took 11th. Gabriel Slattery made his journey to Mullingar worthwhile when he earned the final and 12th qualifying place aboard his own Captain Candy Man (Sligo Candy Boy x Captain Clover).