Twomey streaks to narrow victory in French speed class

CORK’S Billy Twomey pulled off a narrow victory over Canadian Olympic gold medallist Eric Lamaze at the five-star show in Dinard, France this afternoon (Friday).

Riding the now almost legendary 18 year-old mare Tinka’s Serenade, which Twomey owns jointly with Sue Davies, the Irishman saw Lamaze and the much younger 12 year-old mare Fine Lady S set the lead with a scorching time of 71.02 seconds when 12th to jump of the 46-strong field.

No other combination came anywhere close to Lamaze’s time until the experienced Twomey, 39th to jump, shaved a crucial tenth of a second off the Canadian score to collect the 15,375 euro prize and relegate Lamaze to runner-up.

Third place went to Belgium’s Jerome Guery and Papillon Z, who came home over three seconds off the pace of Twomey and Tinka’s Serenade.

Ireland’s Billy Twomey, aboard Tinka’s Serenade.