McAuley denied by Swiss timing in €500k Rolex Grand Prix

Mark McAuley and the Denis Hickey-bred Irish Sport Horse, GRS Lady Amaro. Pic: Sportfot

Louth pilot and GRS Lady Amaro (ISH) excel in RDS, Allen scores big in London

Mark McAuley went so close to recording one of the biggest wins of his career but was agonisingly denied at the death by the precision Swiss timing of Martin Fuchs and Conner Jei, who shaved five-hundredths of a second off the time set by McAuley and the Wexford-bred GRS Lady Amaro (ISH) to win the €500,000 Rolex Grand Prix of Ireland on the final day of the Dublin Horse Show this afternoon.

There was a significant Irish link to the success however, as Conner Jei’s groom, Seán Vard grew up within a water jump of the RDS Arena, in Stepaside and was understandably delighted.

The jump-off was one of the most dramatic ever seen on the famous sward, with only seven-hundredths of a second separating the top three.

McAuley and GRS Lady Amaro had made a major contribution to the runner-up finish of the Underwriting Exchange Irish Show Jumping Team in Friday’s Aga Khan Cup and they almost added the €165,000 first prize to their kitty.

While €100,000 is hardly a poor consolation prize, the Louth athlete had to be disappointed not to land such a major contest on home turf but he was magnanimous in defeat and justifiably proud in his 11-year-old mare bred by Denis Hickey.

A high-class field of 40 had a tilt at the riches on offer and Alan Wade set a tough track of 14 obstacles comprising 17 jumping efforts, worthy of the 1.60m competition’s value.

A select group of seven made it to the decider, though Cork’s Shane Sweetnam must have been cursing his look as Otis Blue jumped clear but incurred one time fault. That eighth place finish still yielded €12,500.

Two Irish pairs made it through and given the week he has been having with his Defender Puissance triumph and host of ribbons in five-star company since the Dublin Horse Show kicked off on Wednesday, it should have come as no surprise that Kildare native, Mikey Pender would be among them, riding the Marion Hughes-bred HHS Los Angeles.

Unfortunately for Pender and his ten-year-old, they had two down but still ended a hugely successful week on a high.

Things got serious when McAuley charted what until the very last stride of the competition, looked the perfect path through the jump-off course, with GRS Lady Amaro responding to his every urging and instruction to go clear in 38.74 seconds.

Aaron Vale, fresh from helping USA win the Aga Khan Cup, was a hair’s breadth from overhauling McAuley but when he looked up at the big screen, he saw that the clock had stopped on 38.76.

If McAuley survived that close shave, he wouldn’t be as lucky with the last man standing, as Fuchs and Conner Jei made up ground in the second half of the round, particularly going fast and long into the final fence, to snatch the honours from the Irishman’s grasp with a time of 39.69.

“Rolex shows are always my favourite shows,” said Fuchs afterwards, remarkably composed for a man already thinking about Dublin city’s night life. “I bring my top horses and those are the Grands Prix you want to win. To win another Rolex Grand Prix here in Dublin is fantastic.

“I knew Conner Jei has such a big stride and is extremely careful so I could take all the risk at the last fence and this was the place I could win. It was very tight because Mark had an incredible round and also Aaron really put the pressure on so I’d a really good draw going last.

“It’s nice to come back to an incredible show like this (after the Olympic Games) and to be winning a five-star Rolex Grand Prix. I’ve decided I’ll stay another night and go to Temple Bar!”

Vard (pictured above with Conner Jai) is no stranger to success working for Fuchs but he admitted that this triumph was one of the highlights of his involvement in equestrian sport.

“It’s incredible to come back to Dublin with such a competitive rider like Martin,” Vard remarked. “It’s a dream show and a dream for me to be here. It’s a long trip but it’s worth every second. I love being here, to see my family and friends that I don’t see for the whole year.

“We’ve won the Nations Cup, winning the Grand Prix is just up there. The only thing missing is an Irish flag by Martin’s name! But I’m delighted.

“Martin’s a genius. He knows where he can make up time. He wasn’t going to risk too much in the early parts. Keep it level and then just let him fly at the last.”

McAuley felt that he and GRS Lady Amaro could have no regrets as they had done everything in their power to emerge victorious.

“Often you come out of a jump-off and you think, ‘I could have done this or I could have done that better,’ but actually today when I came out I was delighted with everything I did. So it was up to them to beat me and Martin did and that’s the way it goes in sport at the end of the day. Well done to him.

“It was nerve-wracking and unfortunately Martin did get to me but I’m still very happy with second.

“To jump clear in an Aga Khan is always a special feeling and to do it with that mare is even more special. She ran out of steam a bit towards the end of the second round so she had two unlucky faults which she didn’t really deserve but she made up for it today and I couldn’t be happier.”

Vale was ecstatic after an “unbelievable week,” the American now considering the Dublin Horse Show the best show in the world after his maiden visit.

“I saw Mark go in the jump-off and he laid down quite a track. I pretty much did everything I planned to do in the jump-off. It was our first run on the clock for some time but I felt like we nailed the course.

“I knew it was close. I thought maybe I’d done enough to catch Mark but just missed. My horse jumped amazing. Mark and Martin were amazing. What a great day of jumping and what a crowd.

“I’ve never been to a show like this.”

Meanwhile, Harry Allen added to his burgeoning five-star collection with victory in the Lugano Diamonds Trophy on the Longines Global Champions Tour in London.

Riding Ballywalter Stables’ Lukaku vd Bisschop, the young Enniscorthy pilot had the fractions on his side in the 1.45m speed class,  going clear in 60.64 seconds.

That was enough to see off 29 other opponents, with David Will (GER) his nearest challenger on Zaccorado Blue, stopping the clock on 60.81 seconds.

“I wasn’t really thinking about anyone else,” Allen revealed of his game plan. “I was just trying to have my own plan. He’s an extremely fast horse, very brave, so I thought if I had my own round, I’d be there or thereabouts.”

BREEDING

GRS LADY AMARO (ISH) – 2013 mare by Amaretto Darco (BWP) out of Legal Lady (TB) by Over The River (TB). Breeder: Denis Hickey, Co. Wexford. Owner: S.n.c McAuley. Rider: Mark McAuley (IRL).

HHS LOS ANGELES (ISH) – 2014 mare by Le Roi (ZDP) out of China Cavalier (ISH) by Cavalier Royale (HOLST). Breeder: Marion Hughes. Owner: Bravo Hughes Ltd. Rider: Michael Pender (IRL).