Daniel Coyle leads Irish 1-2 in $217,200 California five-star Grand Prix

  • 5 December 2022, 08:18

Irish riders completed a hugely successful weekend on the American West Coast, with Derry’s Daniel Coyle taking victory in Sunday’s $217,200 five-star Grand Prix at Thermal in California, just ahead of Co Down’s Conor Swail who finished as runner-up.

Riding Legacy, owned by Ariel Grange, Coyle was one of only four riders to advance to the jump-off. It was a matchup between Ireland and Canada as he joined Conor Swail (IRL), Sean Jobin (CAN), and Amy Millar (CAN) in the tiebreaker. Coyle laid it all on the line for a jump-off time of 35.13 seconds, which could not be caught as the remaining three tried to chase him.

Daniel Coyle and Legacy. Photo: Ashley Neuhof / MLSJ

“Legacy has been phenomenal for me since we bought her,” Coyle said of Grange’s 12-year-old mare (Chippendale Z x Bon Ami). “I produced her as a championship horse but after the World Championships we changed course and decided to try to win some Grand Prix. She’s getting better and better. I’m getting to know her better in jump-offs also. I’m really, really happy Ariel Grange bought her for me.”

Swail is moving Mannon Farm’s Nadal Hero & DB up the ranks, exposing him to more top competition and proving he has another top contender in his incredibly strong string. “I’m absolutely delighted with my horse,” Swail, ranked number five in the world, remarked. “He’s progressing so well, he’s doing all the right things, he’s learning from his mistakes, and I am super delighted with second place. Sixth place also went to Ireland’s Paul O’Shea after he produced the fastest four fault first round with Imerald Van’t Voorhof.

Daniel Coyle concluded an amazing week by also winning Sunday’s $72,400 Talus Winning Round with his own and Grange’s Ivory TCS.

“I’m extremely lucky because having even one of these horses is great,” Coyle said on his current winning streak. “Ariel has stuck by me and it’s really a testament to her as to why I’m here. Right now everything seems to be on fire. I have a really, really strong string right now. I really thank her for that.”

Final Results: $217,200 Whittier Trust CSI5* MLSJ Grand Prix

1. LEGACY: 2010 ZANG mare by Chippendale Z x Bon Ami
DANIEL COYLE (IRL), Ariel Grange: 0/0/35.13

2. NADAL HERO & DB: 2013 BWP stallion by Kannan x Polydor
CONOR SWAIL (IRL), Mannon Farm: 0/0/38.33

3. DARIUS: 2014 KWPN gelding by Warrant x Calvados
SEAN JOBIN (CAN), Foxridge Farms Stables: 0/0/43.68

4. TRUMAN: 2009 SF gelding by Mylord Carthago x Kolibri
AMY MILLAR (CAN), Millar Brooke Farm Ltd. & Overland: 0/8/47.74

5. CALCIET EB Z: 2013 ZANG mare by Cornet Obolensky x Berlin
ALEXIS SOKOLOV (USA), Hot Horses LLC: 1/84.12

6. IMERALD VAN’T VOORHOF: 2008 BWP gelding by Emerald x Bacardi Orange De Muze
PAUL O’SHEA (IRL), Imerald Partners LLC: 4/76.54

  • Tags: