Not content with just the top spot in the line-up, O’Brien made it a one-two victory when also taking the runner-up position.

Drawn at the latter end of an eight-way decider with both his mounts, O’Brien set the winning time of 36.60 with a deceptively fast round aboard Hector Van D’Abdijhoeve.

Last to go on Noel Delahunty’s Lux Z-sired mare Lux Classic, O’Brien was in the comfortable position of a guaranteed win and neatly slotted into second place when recording a fault-free time of 38.46.

By Cabrio Van De Heffinck, Hector Van D’Abdijhoeve was bred in Belgium by Hugo Boelens. Produced by O’Brien from his five-year-old season, the stallion has been a dependable performer.

Hector Van D’Abdijhoeve was runner-up in the 2013 Cruising Six Year Old Championship at the Dublin Horse Show and already this season has impressed with a win in the Spring Tour Grand Prix at Maryville.

Approved by the Warmblood Studbook of Ireland and the Irish Sport Horse studbook, Hector Van D’Abdijhoeve stands with owner Raymond Keane in Galway.

O’Brien may have triumphed on the day but it was Edward Butler who took the overall victory in the league with Rincoola Rua. Owned and bred by Harold McGahern, Rincoola Rua is exceptionally well-bred. By Diamant de Semilly the mare is out of the successful competition mare Rincoola Abu, sired by Cruising.

Butler said: “It was a big surprise to win as it wasn’t something I set out to do. We won without having to work too hard, on saying that the mare has been absolutely faultless all year.

“She only jumped five legs of the series and won two and was second twice. It speaks for how good she really is and in the future I think she is going to be a top class horse.”

Double clear

Taking third place on the day as the only other rider to record a double clear was James Hogg with the Ard VDL Douglas-sired Almost Persuaded, completing the course in a time of 39.47. Hogg also secured sixth place in the line-up with another of Ard VDL Douglas’ progeny, the homebred gelding Always On My Mind.

Michael Murphy logged the fastest time of the day with the Harlequin Du Carel gelding Curra Quin breaking the beams in 34.13 but settled for the green rosette when lowering the first part of the double. Francis Connors played pathfinder with Erne Ladygoldilocks and faulted at the following fence but ensured a good day for Ard VDL Douglas as a sire when logging a time of 41.45 to secure fifth place.