THE latest graduate from equestrian disciplines to record their first success on the racecourse is former pony show jumper Thomas Costello, who landed the two-mile maiden hurdle at Thurles on Sunday with his mother Marie’s Asian Master.

The Co Clare rider was mentioned in this column when posting his first point-to-point win at his local meeting in Bellharbour in February of this year on the same Shirocco gelding, who was then trained by his father, Tony. At that stage, Costello junior was still studying Business at the Limerick Campus of the Technology University of the Shannon but, since graduating, he has joined the Willie Mullins yard – as has Asian Master.

Thomas was having his first ride against professionals in Sunday’s two-mile maiden hurdle, where he and Asian Master finished three-quarters of a length ahead of the Mullins-trained, Paul Townend-ridden even-money favourite, Jimmy Du Seuil. Thomas signed off his pony jumping career at Millstreet in October 2017 on JJ’s Vino, a 2011 grey gelding by Vingino, who was campaigned this year by Chloe Hourigan and Kian Dore.