THE Guinness mare Chantilly On The Rocks, who won the intermediate side-saddle class at Dublin last year when ridden by Ciara Mullen, returns to defend her title in Ring 1 early next Saturday afternoon when she will be partnered by owner John Hagan’s daughter Aoife-Rose.

Among others who have qualified to appear before Britain’s Penny Hollings and are making a return visit to the Ballsbridge showgrounds are Jessica Murphy with her mother Melissa O’Connor Murphy’s French-bred gelding Darcy De Chanteloube, who finished third last year, and Catherine Gorton with her Connemara gelding Castle Dartagnan, an 11-year-old grey by Monaghanstown Boy.

Supreme champion at the recent Irish Pony Society Kildare North Leinster Area show at Tattersalls Ireland, the 10-year-old bay mare Dynamite Replay qualified under owner Stephanie Moore at the Flavours of Fingal Show as did Katie Crozier with Caroline Chambers’ 14-year-old mare Whitethorn Lane. At the same fixture, Aoife Flynn bagged a ticket on the nine-year-old bay gelding Rock Houdini.

Earlier, Emma Green qualified at Armagh on board the seven-year-old Sligo Candy Boy gelding Highview Tallorder, one of the many horses being produced for owner Debbie Harrod by Jamie Smyth, while Ciara Denegan has qualified with a Riding Club favourite, Anne Nixon’s Its Miller Time, a 16-year-old grey gelding by Prince Of Thieves.