Lynch and Allen deliver two wins for Ireland on opening day of Bordeaux

DENIS Lynch and Bertram Allen delivered two definitive wins for Ireland at the big five-star World Cup show in Bordeaux, France today (Friday).

Lynch collected 20,300 euro for his victory in tonight’s feature speed class, the Prix Generali, riding Thomas Straumann’s 15 year-old bay gelding Abbervail van het Dingeshof.

Seventh-last to jump from a starting field of 38, Lynch finished in a scorching time of 55.73 seconds, and despite the best efforts of the next six competitors – which included five of the world’s top 20-ranked riders – Tipperary-born Lynch proved uncatchable and came home with half a second in hand. Second place went to Germany’s Daniel Deusser, currently World No. 3 in the Longines Rider Rankings, aboard the 11 year-old mare Espyrante.

Meanwhile, 19 year-old Wexford rider Bertram Allen won the opening international speed class at Bordeaux today, with Cork’s Billy Twomey slotting into third.

Maintaining a remarkable run of form that has taken him to a current career high of No. 14 in the World rankings, Allen piloted the 12 year-old mare Wild Thing L into first place at the French show with almost three seconds in hand over Belgian challenger Constant Van Paesschen and Diamanthina van’t Ruytershof.

Billy Twomey, who is co-owner of the winning Wild Thing L with Ballywalter Farms, brought out Katrina Moore’s stallion Royale du Rouet for the speed contest and claimed third place behind runner-up Van Paesschen, in a field of 74 starters.

A total of 155,000 euro in prize money will be up for grabs at Bordeaux’s World Cup competition on Saturday night, while Sunday’s Land Rover Grand Prix will offer competitors a share of 115,000 euro.

Denis Lynch and Abbervail van het Dingeshof