EQUESTRIANTWO TIME penalties in yesterday's concluding showjumping phase couldn't prevent Sarah Ennis landing the Johnson Perrott Land Rover CCI*** at the Ballindenisk international horse trials in Co Cork.
Riding her nine-year-old Olympic Lux gelding BLM Diamond Delux, the Co Meath rider led from the dressage phase to complete on 47.2 penalties with Cloughjordan’s Katie O’Sullivan in second on her flat work mark of 52 aboard Lowhill Blackout.
Belgium’s Constantin van Rijckevorsel completed on 54.4 for third with Butterfly Boy and, riding Rural Dean in the CCI* (46.7), finished second behind his wife Therese who, competing for Sweden, won on her dressage score of 41.9 with Buzzy Bee du Langwater.
Italy had two victories – Giulio Guglielmi landing the CCIJ* on the recent Irish-bred purchase Porche Renkum while, in spite of two fences down yesterday, Vittoria Panizzon held on to win the CCI** with Merlots Magic.
Britain’s Oliver Townend had to settle for second and third there with his Irish-breds Skyhills Cavalier and DHI Bandit King, but filled the first two places in the CIC*** with the 11-year-old Master Imp gelding Imperial Master (40.2) and Sonas Rovatio (43.5).
North Co Dublin’s Ciaran Glynn dominated the CIC**, winning on Gerry Leahy’s ex-racehorse Craic (51.1 penalties).
At Barnadown, Co Wexford, yesterday’s lucrative Irish Breeders Classic showjumping final for five- and six-year-old horses of any breed foaled in Ireland was won by Harry Marshall on board Karen MacKenzie’s Bens Lady Lux.
The five-year-old dark brown mare by Lux Z, bred in Granard by Anne Marie Blessington out of a Cavalier Royale mare, went early in the 23-horse jump-off to record the fastest double clear in 39.89.
Both John Floody (Bronson de Reve) and Cian O’Connor (Castellana) were faster but had a pole down apiece to leave Thomas O’Brien in second on Sportsfield Eternia (39.93) with Jordan Coyle placing third with Corriboucarel (40.27).
