Allen snatches five-star Paris feature class with Romanov

IRELAND’S Bertram Allen snatched the 8,000 euro trophy in today’s big feature class in the five-star Saut Hermès show at the Grand Palais arena in the heart of Paris.

Fourth to jump of 39 riders, the 19 year-old set a blistering pace on Billy Twomey’s 17 year-old stallion Romanov, and his time of 50.95 seconds proved impossible to beat. Britain’s veteran star Michael Whitaker came closest on the gelding Amai, but fell short by just three tenths of a second to settle for the 5,000 euro runner-up prize.

Wexford-born Allen, who is now tenth in the world rankings, also placed second in the opening class at Paris today with his new horse, Quainton Stud’s gelding Quiet Easy 4, a quarter of a second behind Mexican winner Alberto Michan Halbinger and Carusso LS la Silla in the two-phase competition.

The Irish teenager is his country’s only qualifying rider for the World Cup Final to be held in Las Vegas next week, where he will battle the world’s best in the hope of bringing home the prestigious trophy to Ireland for the first time in its history.

Bertram Allen and Romanov winning the feature class at Paris today.