Two Friday night Three-Star wins for Ireland

TWO Irish riders were in the money tonight (Friday) when Cork’s Billy Twomey collected 8,500 euro for a win in the three-star Charles Stanley British Masters competition at Wettenhall, England and Co. Down’s Dermott Lennon was awarded a Mercedes car for taking first place in the Grand Prix Qualifier at Geesteren in the Netherlands.

Cork-born Twomey, riding the bay gelding Diaghilev, was one of 14 to make the jump-off from a starting field of 43, but came home with almost one-and-a-half seconds to spare against a challenge from Britain’s Jessie Drea and the Irish Sport Horse Touchdown mare Touchable.

Later, an in-form Dermott Lennon, who was fresh from a successful weekend at Aachen in Germany, rode his long-time partner Hallmark Elite to first place in the speed class at three-star Geesteren, beating Ukranian runner-up Cassio  Rivetti and the mare Constara by just over a second to collect the keys of a shiny new Merc.

Earlier at Wettenhall, Ireland’s Anthony Condon claimed a second place with Pewit Quinto in the jump-off class, while David Simpson and the Irish Sport Horse Touch of Chilli placed fourth in the competition, which was won by Britain’s William Whitaker and Upperclass.

Geesteren and Wettenhall both have their Grands Prix on Sunday.