AMY Walsh, who recently upgraded her Irish Sport Horse gelding Tinkas Hugo, held a four-point lead at time of writing in the EI90 (Amateur) league with her ex-racehorse Trucking Along on whom she won at Hillcrest (3) before placing second at Crecora (2).

Having started their season in mid-May, Walsh and her 17-year-old Zagreb gelding have competed in six EI90 (Amateur) events, winning twice, placing second twice and, with 12 show jumping penalties, finishing fourth at Kilguilkey on the other occasion.

Trucking Along won a point-to-point and four times over hurdles when trained by former international event rider Stuart Crawford. The Larne handler and his team posted the following on Facebook following Trucking Along’s Hillcrest success: “He was a favourite at Crawford Bros Racing who found a lovely home with our friends Ruth and Amy. Hard to believe he is out eventing at 17 yrs old and looking a million dollars. Lovely to see our ex racehorses being so successful in other careers”.

At Crecora, Walsh and Trucking Along were beaten by Holly Conte and the traditionally-bred Irish Sport Horse mare VHC Howitzer who finished second on their only start last season and have finished seventh at worst in four starts this term.

The Northern Region’s Johanna Herron was lying second in the league on 56 points with her Irish Sport Horse mare Twentypark Emperess, a 10-year-old bay by Emperor Augustus on whom she won the EI90 (Amateur) at Tullymurry (2).

They had been beaten into second by Sophie Cowan and her ISH mare Tempo Quickstep (by Lougherne Quick Step) at The Clare and then finished third behind Michaela Donnelly and her six-year-old grey gelding Burke Private Bluebird and Nicky Nesbitt and her Irish Draught mare Carrickview Saratoga at Tullymurry (1).

Over the past couple of years, Caoimhe Doherty, co-founder of Treo Eile and manager at Forenaghts Stud, has competed two Connemaras at EI190 (Amateur), Rathcoona Leam O and Rathcoona Robin, both James Quirke-bred geldings by Rathcoona Cove.

On their only outing this season to date, on July 16th, at Ballindenisk (2), the pair finished first and third on their dressage scores with the seven-year-old Rathcoona Robin claiming the honours (22.5) while his stable companion finished third (31.8). The pair were split by the Tara O’Donoghue-ridden Coco Rebel whose total of 30.2 included eight show jumping penalties.