KENNY AGAIN TASTES VICTORY ON EUROPEAN STAGE

OFFALY’S Darragh Kenny added to his run of recent successes when he snatched a 6,000 euro victory in today’s (Friday) 1m50 Prix French Tour competition at the five-star Global Champions Tour venue at Chantilly, France.

Riding Oakland Ventures Llc’s 11 year-old gelding Picolo, Kenny saw off a challenge from Italy’s Luca Maria Moneta and Connery, with one-and-a-half seconds in hand.

The 26 year-old, who has been selected by Irish show jumping manager Robert Splaine for the Hickstead Nations’ Cup squad in August, took three wins at Aachen in Germany earlier this month at the start of his European campaign, following a recent string of victories in North America.

Kenny, Denis Lynch, Shane Breen, Cameron Hanley and Mark McAuley all represent Ireland in Saturday afternoon’s Longines Grand Prix at the French show.

Meanwhile in the Austrian five-star show at Villach Treffen, Cork’s Billy Twomey placed third in the two-round competition in tonight’s feature class with Joe Flynn’s Irish Sport Horse Ardcollum Duke, failing to catch Dutch winner Maikel van der Vleuten and VDL Groep Sapphire B, who stopped the clock just under half a second faster.

At the European Championships for Juniors, Young Riders and Children on Horses in Arezzo, Italy, Ireland’s Junior team of Cormac Hanley, Lucinda Roche, Matt Garrigan and Noelle Barry are in Bronze Medal position going into Saturday morning’s final round, just one point behind joint leaders Britain and the Netherlands. The Irish Young Rider team of Jack Dodd, Kellie Allen, Jonathan Gordon and Hayley Dunne finished eighth of 16 nations in their team final today, which was won by Germany.

BREEDING
Ardcolum Duke (ISH) – 2004 grey stallion by Gypsy Duke (ISH) out of Dangerous Lady (ISH), by Clover Hill (ID). Owner/Bred by Joe Flynn, Co. Roscommon. Rider: Billy Twomey (IRL)

Darragh Kenny and Picolo