Paul O'Shea, the 25-year-old Limerick rider making his debut appearance at the Kerrygold Horse Show this week, got his campaign off to a very impressive start in Simmonscourt yesterday when storming to victory in the first of the seven-year-olds and over qualifiers.
Riding Shelagh O'Callaghan's nine-year-old stallion Liffey Valley, O'Shea, who is currently based with Cian O'Connor at Copper Alley Stud, provided the fastest of only eight clears in the jump-off to stop the clock in 42.14 seconds and earn his one-way ticket to the main arena for Sunday morning's final.
Having returned from seven-years abroad to win his first ever national Grand Prix at Newcastlewest last month with Liffey Valley, O'Shea followed up that victory last Sunday with a win of the €10,000 Grand Prix in Celbridge, again with Liffey Valley, and was gearing up for a horse show to remember when he qualified three horses for the Rockbarton seven-year-olds and over championship.
As second to go in the jump-off with Anne Wilkinson's Kildare, O'Shea clocked an impressive time of 44.31 seconds and held the lead until Trevor Bartlett took it up with Best Western in 43.79.
It was only when O'Shea returned with Liffey Valley, that the 43-second barrier was broken and the pair galloped straight into an unbeatable lead in 42.14.
Meanwhile, Dermott Lennon, returned with Dow Jones Courcel to win the remaining qualifier.