Wexford’s Bertram Allen and Hector score superb runner-up finish in €360,000 Longines Masters of Paris Grand Prix

A brilliant performance from Wexford’s Bertram Allen and the nine-year-old stallion Hector van d’Abdijhoeve, saw them take runner-up spot on the podium in today’s €360,000 five-star Longines Masters of Paris Grand Prix in France.

Just eight of the 39 starters managed to jump clear in the opening round, with 21-year-old Allen and the Noel Delahunty-owned Hector producing one of four clears second time out against the clock. They finished just two tenths of a second behind Belgian winner Gregory Wathelet riding Eldorado van het Vijverhof, while Germany’s Daniel Deusser was almost two seconds slower than Allen to take third place on the podium with Equita van’t Zorgvliet.

The result adds to a recent excellent run of form for Bertram Allen who collected €70,000 in the French capital, adding to three new motor cars he won last weekend at Stockholm in Sweden.

Speaking afterwards Bertram Allen said:

“It was a very big first round with only eight clears but still an amazing jump-off. I think Gregory [Wathlet] would have been very hard to beat and i’m surprised I got so close. I am just so happy with my horse Hector – I think today was the best he has ever jumped.”