Gold Cup winning trainer buys Connemara jumper

IF Carrahulla Lad does as well as some of the other horses which Henrietta Knight has purchased in Ireland, he will be a champion.

One of England’s top National Hunt trainers, she is famed as the trainer of Best Mate, which last March became the second three times winner in the history of the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

She bought Best Mate after seeing him perform in a Co Waterford point to point race, and Carrahulla Lad is her latest Irish purchase, after he won the Loose Jumping competition at last week’s Connemara Pony Show at Clifden.

The rain didn’t put off 7,000 hardy Connemara fans, including representatives of the 16 overseas Connemara societies.

Exhibitors from the breed’s native county of Galway dominated the awards. Show chairman Dermot Power said buyers now agree that if you want the best Connemara pony, their native habitat is the place to look. The market was buoyant, with good quality stallions reportedly fetching from €12,000 to €15,000, and two year old fillies making €5,000 to €6,000.

The main show winners were as follows:

Supreme Champion: Miss Daisy (Sire: Streamstown Larry Dam: Daisy Belle), bred by Aidan Joyce, Moyard, Co. Galway; owned by Padraic Hynes, Ballinafad, Co Galway.

Runner-up: Spiddal Playboy (Sire: Cloonisle Cashel Dam: Aran Lisa); bred by Michael J. Clancy, Moycullen, Co Galway; owned by Martin Hanley, Spiddal, Co. Galway.

Champion Ridden Pony: Ballybawn Millar, owned by Gil Glynn, Kilternan, Co. Dublin.

Junior Champion: Gleann Rua Native, owned by Kieran McGrath, Claregalway, Co. Galway.

Progeny Class: Irishtown Beauty, owned by Noel Sweeney, Ballyconneely, Co. Galway.

Best Registered, bred, owned and exhibited in Connemara: Miss Daisy, owned by Padraic Hynes, Ballinafad, Co Galway.

Loose jumping: Carrahulla Lad, owned by Patrick Biggins, Ballinasloe, Co Galway.