Allen wins Global Champions Tour Grand Prix in Paris, Kenny third

CONTINUING his seemingly unstoppable run of victories, Wexford’s 19 year-old Bertram Allen tonight won the prestigious Global Champions Tour Grand Prix in Paris, while Offaly’s Darragh Kenny claimed third place.

Allen also made history by being the youngest-ever rider to win a Global Champions Tour Grand Prix.

Allen and the 17 year-old Romanov collected 105,000 euro for their first place, while Kenny and Sans Soucis Z won 48,000 euro.

Only five combinations made it through two challenging rounds to the jump-off at the Champs-de-Mars showground in Paris from a starting field of 48, and it was Kenny who established the first clear round with Caroline Lloyd’s gelding Sans Soucis Z, but almost immediately Allen and Billy Twomey’s 17 year-old Romanov shaved just over two seconds off his fellow-countrman’s time.

Portugal’s Luciana Diniz also posted a clear jump-off round on Fit For Fun, but their time was not fast enough to catch Allen, and had to settle for the runner-up place.

Afterwards Allen said: “This is an amazing feeling, my first ever time on a Global Champions’ Tour podium. I have to pay tribute to my horse, who tried so hard over three tough rounds, and gave me the win.”

Bertram Allen (left) and Darragh Kenny on the podium in Paris