Classic draws top young equines with €50k pot

With a prize fund of €50,000, this weekend’s Irish Breeders Classic is one of the world’s richest young-horse jumping contests, attracting some of the country’s foremost juveniles.

In addition, a foal auction which is part of the event, at Barnadown, Co Wexford, will be avidly watched as a barometer of current values.

The Classic is open to horses aged five and six, born in Ireland, and organiser Ronan Rothwell said: “Some of Ireland’s biggest breeders are represented, such as Mill House Stud owned by the Brennans in Gowran, Co Kilkenny, with an offspring of OBOS Quality, and Delmont Stud in Co Laois, with a son of Guidam.