EMILY Marnane made her debut in the inaugural Dublin working hunter pony qualifiers at Moira last Thursday week, but had good excuses for missing the first two legs. She was sitting exams when the opener took place at Sceilig and enjoyed a more pleasant day at Royal Ascot when the second qualifier was staged at Mullingar.

Marnane has, of course, ridden at Dublin many times in the past and finished third in the 143cm working hunter pony class in 2022, when there was no qualifying procedure. Then, as at Moira, she rode her mother Mel’s Danny’s Pride, with whom she has already qualified for the Connemara performance hunter final and the older ridden Connemara class for young riders at Dublin, bagging both tickets on the same day at Scarteen. The combination’s appearance in the RDS workers was dependent on them completing at Killossery Lodge Stud on Wednesday just past.

Danny’s Pride, a 15-year-old gelding by Fernville Danny, was bred in Co Galway by Edwin Murray out of the Village Boy mare Cora’s Lady. In winning this Moira qualifier, the grey amassed 101.5 points under Marnane, which saw them record a narrow victory over Ellie O’Donnell and the 14-year-old bay gelding Ballyhone Toby (101).

Marnane and Danny’s Pride were reserve Connemara working hunter champions at the Northern Ireland Festival in April, when they failed to qualify for the Horse Of The Year Show. With that target in mind, Mel, Emily and Danny’s Pride are heading to Scotland this month in a bid to claim a ticket for the end of year showing highlight. Under Amber Marnane, Danny’s Pride was crowned 143cm working hunter pony of the year at HOYS in 2019.

Mel Marnane was impressed by the venue, Moira Equestrian – she and Emily would have been at home in the grounds where racing and other horse sports come together – and, while they missed the first two qualifiers, she was pleased that this one took place on grass.