FINANCIAL REWARD - 2003 IRE TB

Fruits Of Love - Lamp Of Phoebus

Financial Reward, who stands with Donal Goland at Ballinglen Stud near Gorey, Co Wexford, is by Fruits Of Love, who traces back to the great Secretariat. He was a winner of the Croker Cup at the Dublin Horse Show in 2011 and has had a number of his progeny qualify for the Breeders Championship there.

He was approved by the Irish Sport Horse Studbook in 2010 and covered 50 mares in 2017. “It is very hard to get a horse with the size and bone that he has,” says Goland. “He is the size and model that should get eventers. But people should not compromise on the model of the mare.” Financial Reward has a Timeform rating in excess of 110 and was a winner of five races and £112,843. Financial Reward’s progeny have won well both as foals and young stock at the Dublin Horse Show, Mountbellew and Bannow Rathaangan.

ISLAND COMMANDER - 2008 USA TB

Giant’s Causeway - Island Escape

This son of Giant’s Causeway, out of a Petionville dam, stands with Michael Murphy of Clohamon Stud, Bunclody, Co Wexford. He came to Michael from trainer Jim Bolger in 2014 and was approved by the Irish Sport Horse Studbook in 2015. He will have two-year-olds showing this season and already his foals have impressed top showing men like Derry Rothwell and Dessie Gibson. Derry has in fact brought four mares to him.

Murphy notes: “He is a new stallion on the scene. So far he is flying it and we will just have to sit back and see. He fits into what we are good at here in Ireland, breeding ones with good temperaments and good looks, and he should suit the eventing job since the more thoroughbred the better.”

DIAMOND ROLLER - 2003 ISH

High Roller - Joes Lurgan Lady

Diamond Roller stands at Eugene Sheppard’s Byrnesgrove Stud in Ballyraggart, Co Kilkenny and has already made a name for himself in breeding eventers. He is the sire of Cooley Cross Border, who was a winner for USA’s Kim Severson at Blenheim three-star and was the highest placed Irish Sport Horse on the 2017 World Eventing Rankings.

His other eventing progeny include Cooley Roller Coaster and Cooley Cross Border’s full-brother, the seven-year-old novice, Midnight Roller Coaster. Diamond Roller can be traced back to Flagmount Diamond on his dam’s side, while his sire High Roller is by Cavalier Royale. This is his third season standing with Sheppard who says: “We like to marry each mare with what suits her when they come in to Byrnesgrove and we try to get a good bit of blood for eventing.”

DENOUNCE, 2001 GB TB

Selkirk - Didicoy

“I am just mad about this horse,” declares Cyril Conway of Grove Hill Stud, Lissycasey, Co Clare, who stands the thoroughbred Denounce by dual champion European miler Selkirk and out of a Danzig dam. “For 20 years I have been looking for the likes of him and I just had to buy him,” he says. Conway, who is an enthusiastic showing man, would indeed know a good looker when he sees one. Eamonn McArdle of Drumhowan Stud sourced him for Cyril from where he stood in England. Over there he had been popular with those seeking to breed eventers. Conway now has a yearling by him that he will show this season.