The Armagh horseman David Conlon suffered a cruel defeat on the opening day of the Dublin Horse Show when his four-year-old Double Vision lost out on victory in a tie-break, but yesterday he was involved in another photo-finish in the Dundrum championship, and this time the verdict went his way.
In a remarkably consistent performance from such a young horse, Double Vision yesterday earned top marks for the second time in succession from the judges, Markus Buser, John Kyle and Ann Waistell, having once again jumped a copybook clear over a track at maximum dimensions. But he was chased all the way by Brian O'Callaghan's ride, Charlie's Clover, and when both finished on 77 per cent, the scoring sheets had to be more closely scrutinised to segregate the two.
It was only when the very last mark on the page had been consulted that the pair could be divided, with the home-bred Double Vision earning an extra point for his scope and ability, to lay claim to the prestigious Seamus Hughes Memorial Trophy and secure his rider-producer's first-ever Dublin Horse Show victory.
The five-year-old horses were yesterday promoted to the main arena for their second appearance of the week and in a 12-horse jump-off against the clock Michael Cave turned in the fastest clear with Anthem, a first-season novice he rides for his aunt, Pam McDowell. Cave's clear in 32.66 left him with a five-second winning margin over Trevor Bartlett and Anvil Exhibition.
In the young rider division Neal Fearon of Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan, continued the run of success which saw him claim four classes at the recent Balmoral fixture. Fearon, one of our best junior jockeys, won the Grade E final yesterday morning and later in the afternoon kept the former European pony champion Emma Wilson and Robert Power, son of the former Irish team stalwart Con Power, pinned back in second and third in the Grades ABC class. It was another former pony star, Hazel O'Callaghan, who made all the running to win the Grades C and D class from a 14-horse jump-off.