Darragh Kerins leads all-Irish podium in $100,000 Lexington Grand Prix

It was a podium reserved for the Irish last night (Sunday) in Lexington, USA, as Sligo’s Darragh Kerins, Cork’s Shane Sweetnam, and Derry’s Daniel Coyle claimed the top three spots in the $100,000 Lugano Diamonds three-star 1m50 Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute. and part of the Split Rock Jumping Tour.

Kerins led the way from start to finish, capturing the victory aboard the Eve Jobs-owned Valentino Tuiliere (Diamant de Semilly x Silvio). His blazing time of 38.49 seconds saw him finish more than half-a-second ahead of Sweetnam with his own, Seabrook LLC, and Spy Coast Farm, LLC’s Alejandro (Acorado’s Ass X Continue) in second place, and over a full second in front of Coyle with Jeffrey Jarden (Bustique x Warrant), owned by Ariel Grange, in third.

“For the last few months, this horse has just been jumping unbelievable, but I always end up just short in second or third [place],” said Kerins of the 13-year-old Selle Français gelding that he twice rode to second place in the $50,000 Welcome CSI3* during each week of this year’s Autumn series. “The horse really deserved the win today.”