Darragh Kenny leads Irish 1-2 in Florida four-star Grand Prix

Irish riders dominated today’s (Sunday) $216,000 four-star Grand Prix at Wellington International in Florida, USA, with Offaly’s Darragh Kenny collecting the winners prize ahead of Louth’s Mark McAuley in second.

Nine of the 43 starters made it into the jump-off where Kenny partnered Volnay Du Boisdeville to the fastest clear (39.43) to take the winners prize of over $71,000. His Irish teammate Mark McAuley was his closest challenger, finishing just .09 of a second slower with Jasco VD Bisschop to take runner-up spot and $43,200.

Paul O’Shea and Chancelloress. © Sportfot

The Irish Grand Prix in Wellington win came less than 24 hours after Limerick’s Paul O’Shea took victory in the $140,000 CaptiveOne Advisors 1m50 Series Final in Wellington, while the overall series victory went to Cork’s Shane Sweetnam.

Back in Europe, Jeremy Sweetnam finished as runner-up in the two-star Grand Prix at Riesenbeck in Germany riding Brown Star Z. There was also an Irish runner-up in the two-star Grand Prix at Bonheiden in Belgium for Harry Allen with Dancing Queen Z, while Hannah O’Shea finished fourth in the two-star Grand Prix at Arezzo in Italy with The Irish Sport Horse Ardnacashel Coovella.

BREEDING
Ardnacashel Coovella (ISH) 2009 mare is by Luidam (KWPN) out of Prominence (ISH), by Harlequin Du Carel (SF), bred by Janice Reddy, Co. Down,