Racehorse to riding horse class at Dublin Horse Show

An illustrious field will turn out for the fifth running of the Racehorse to Riding Horse class at this year’s Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show.

From the Cheltenham Gold Cup to the longest race in the world at Lion D’Angers, the RDS Showgrounds will see a selection of top-class racehorses line out in the hope of reaching the winning line once again. On this occasion, their sights will be set on the back straight of ring one at 1:35pm on Saturday, 9 August, for the popular class, kindly sponsored by Irish Thoroughbred Marketing.

The 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Imperial Commander, might have been the bookies favourite back in his racing days, but this is a whole new course and distance. Other former Cheltenham champions such as Weapons Amnesty, Dun Doire and Shinrock Paddy will also be lining-up in ring one to meet such greats as JP McManus’s Binocular, with career earnings of over a million euro, and the Goat Racing Syndicate’s Arkle Challenge Trophy winner, ForPadyDePlasterer, who is clearly no goat.

The pundits are also whispering about Notre Pere, a Coral Welsh National and Guinness Gold Cup winner who was pipped at the post for a Horse of the Year award by none other than the legendary Sea The Stars.

The stayer, Another Jewel, cannot be overlooked, having won the world’s longest race, the Anjou Loire Challenge at a distance of 4m 4.5 furlongs, and Ruby Walsh’s former mounts, TheMoonAndSixPence and Prince Erik, will also give a run for the money. Callow Lake, an impressive chaser with nine wins, will be present alongside Amstecos, once noted the “most promising horse to be trained in Northern Ireland in 25 years”, while Arthur Moore’s Mansony returns with a vengeance.

The wily ‘Public Judging’ punter cannot ignore the point to pointers either.

Why Not Batim, Where Now and Eoghan’s Delight could be worthy of a first, second or third placing. Then we have Mossbank, who, having won the Munster National in 2007, was kicked out of action but now returns more determined than ever to win this most prized event.

The bookies will be scarce and the punters will have a lot to think about, but the crowds will undoubtedly be in awe as 18 potential champions will keep their cool in a battle for the covetted red rosette. No need for binoculars, just sprint on down to Ring one for this unique class and pick your own favourite.