JONAH WRAGG's five year old Cheval de Guerre moved a step closer to taking Dublin's coveted supreme hunter title when claiming the ladies hunter championship just before lunch yesterday.
The Tipperary horse now heads for the wide open spaces of the RDS main arena this morning where the thoroughbred gelding will be able to display his gallop to full effect.
Barring a rush of blood to the head, Cheval de Guerre is hotly tipped to add both the weight cup and the supreme tricolour to an already rich haul this week.
Yesterday afternoon's young horse championship came down to a straightforward tussle between the winning two year old Corbally Magic and the year older Inter Exchange, which had taken the three year old honours on Thursday.
Inter Exchange, which owner Hugh McCusker shows as part of his Bank Of Ireland string, was eventually given the nod to provide his sire Big Sink Hope with at second major triumph of the 5 son after a two year old son took the Balmoral title in May.
The vanquished Corbally Magic had earlier won the Pembroke for his owner James King, as the best exhibitor bred young horse.
Brooklodge Felicity Roberts, which had stood reserve to Corbally Magic in the two year old championship on Wednesday, took her share of the limelight for owner P.J. O'Mahony when claiming the filly championship for the second year running.
Dr Bo Helander, the Swiss man best known as secretary general of the International Equestrian Federation, scored a double triumph last night when his six year old mare Luzille won the American hunter class ahead of Carola Carlstrom's Juztine, which was bred by Dr Helander.