DERMOT Molloy’s Two Mile Nigel, whose fan club last season included this writer, booked his ticket for the 2025 Balmoral Show (May 14th to 17th) at the first attempt last Saturday, when winning the four and five-year-old performance Irish Draught qualifier at The Meadows.

One of seven horses in the class ridden by Graiguenamangh veterinary surgeon Diarmuid Ryan, the five-year-old King Vinny gelding narrowly topped the scores of both judges, earning 45.5 marks out of 50 from Jayne Doherty for his flatwork and 62 out of 90 from the jump judge Vina Buller, contributing to a total of 129.5.