Irish continue with top ten dominance at Dublin

THOUGH two of today’s (Thursday)  international classes at the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show were won by visiting riders, Ireland did continue its dominance of top ten placings, following Wednesday’s successes.

French star Roger-Yves Bost took the 6,600 euro prize in today’s Speed Derby, riding Castle Forbes Vivaldo vh Costersveld, but close behind in second was Tipperary’s Shane Breen on Ominerale Courcelle, with Wexford’s Bertram Allen and Wild Thing L in third, Mayo’s Cameron Hanley and Newton du Haut Bois in fourth, with Down’s Dermott Lennon and Vampire taking fifth. Irish riders also accounted for three further places in the competition’s top ten.

Cork’s Billy Twomey kept the Irish flag flying with victory in the Serpentine Speed Stakes, beating Dermott Lennon and Hallmark Elite to the 8,000 euro winner’s prize by over a second. Eighteen year-old Bertram Allen again took a third place, this time with Romanov, while Trevor Breen and Adventure de Kannan claimed fifth. Irish riders took two further top ten places in the class.

In the final competition in the main arena at Ballsbridge, celebrated US rider McLain Ward won the Two Phase competition with Cadence, but had only three hundredths of a second in hand over second-placed Tipperary native Denis Lynch and Double O Seven. Mark McAuley and Isco de Amoranda claimed fifth place, and again three more top ten places went to Irish riders.