EQUESTRIAN: Luck deserted the Irish in spades during the British Grand Prix at Hickstead yesterday, but they came back with a vengeance in the following Speed Grand Prix to record an Irish one-two, led by Dermott Lennon, for the second year in a row, writes Grania Willis
Robert Splaine, winner on Thursday with the Irish-bred Diamond Cliff, brought out the same horse to set the early target with a clear in 79.88 seconds.
"I played it safe in a lot of places and I went a bit wide into the last and that's what cost me the class," the Cork rider said.
But there was no playing safe from Lennon, who took this class 12 months ago and had brought Woods Rosbotham's Ginger Watt over to Hickstead specially with this goal in mind. Despite dropping the rail going into the double of water ditches for a five-second penalty, Lennon kept his foot on the gas pedal all the way and an audacious angle at the last paid off as the clock stopped on the winning time of 79.72.
"It was a long time coming this week," Lennon said after collecting his £3,000 winner's cheque, "but it was worth waiting for."
It was a perfect finish to a week of hugely mixed fortunes, with Thursday's Nations Cup honours dangled a frustrating 1.24 seconds out of reach and no joy in either the Queen's or King's Cups on Saturday.
