Billy Twomey has been in tremendous form recently, and after a good British international run at Bolesworth and the British Masters and a brilliant win at the Great Yorkshire Show, he claimed victory in the Grand Prix at Keysoe CSI** last weekend.

Riding the Gypsy King stallion Ardcolum Duke, he left a top class field trailing with a well-judged double clear. Ardcolum Duke is owned by Joe Flynn from Arigna, Co Roscommon and the horse is fully approved by Horse Sport Ireland.

“It’s great to see the course-builder (Kelvin Bywater) building to a decent standard. My horse has been progressing well and been very consistent in recent weeks and he jumped two very good rounds here,” said Twomey.

Certainly the pair started the British outdoor season well with victory at Nottinghamshire County in the main class, the Mattie Brown Stakes, and they have gone from strength to strength after that.

Twomey and Ardcolum Duke warmed up nicely at Keysoe with seventh place in the first 1.40m competition and then they stepped up to beat the National ladies champion Julie Andrews and Wilando B in a 1.45m class before peaking just at the right time to storm home in the final Grand Prix.

Twomey added to his ribbon haul when Codarco was placed in a speed class.

Also riding a winner at Keysoe was Trevor Breen who headed a 1.30m competition on the opening day riding a relatively new ride Patricia Brown’s Lougnatousa WB.

This 13-year-old gelding Irish-bred is by Coolcorron Cool Diamond and among Breen’s first results were two placings at the recent Hickstead Derby Meeting.

More was to come at Addington Manor when Breen and Lougnatousa WB won the Area Trial.

Meanwhile also in the money at Keysoe was Brian Cassidy who finished ninth in the 1.30m riding Cahila.

In addition to a long run of British International shows, the National second rounds have been in full swing for quite some time, the newcomer and Horse and Hound Foxhunter competitions in particular have been very hotly contested.

Richard Howley was in devastating form at South View recently, the Co Sligo rider proving unbeatable in the Foxhunter second round as he claimed the top two tickets for Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) riding Westpoint Baros and Newton Avalon.

Howley has high hopes for his winner Westpoint Baros, as although the Balou De Rouet eight-year-old was a fairly late starter to show jumping, he has gained some valuable mileage this year in Spain and on the British County circuit.

As pathfinders in the third and final round, Howley set an unbeatable target, a brave cut inside to an imposing triple bar at number two and speedy run to the final double seeing them post the winning time.

“He’s a very athletic horse and quick across the ground, so as he’s also very careful I let him roll on to the final fence,” said Howley.

Howley’s second ride Newton Avalon also produced a peach of a round to finish narrowly behind in second place.

Peter Gillespie’s course had asked questions all the way so to finish with two triple clears was a pleasing result for Howley.

Avalon was previously evented by owner John Hartley’s daughter Megan Stephens who considered her too careful across country.

“I thought show jumping was the ideal job for her and she has quickly progressed from novice classes to open level in less than a year,” concluded Howley.

Also HOYS bound in October is Anthony Condon who finished second in the newcomer second round with Kat Taylor’s Balzac.

Another tough course awaited the finalists in the timed second jump-off where Condon nearly set an unbeatable target.

However one managed to better his time, Danielle Ryder throwing caution to the wind riding Happy Boy.

Balzac was bought from fellow Irishman Dave Quigley last November and Condon fared well with the Oklund eight-year-old in Spain.

“Over the past few months, he has stepped up well to world rankings classes.

“He felt very good over the first two rounds so we took a few strides out here and there in the jump-off,” said Condon who has a very good record in the newcomer final at HOYS as he won the 2010 championship with Bertram Allen’s team ride Molly Mallone V.