A WEEK on from the international at Millstreet, it wasn’t surprising that there was a small entry of just eight for the Irish Sport Horse eventing series CNC* for six-year-olds at Loughanmore.

However, there was a turn-up for the books on Saturday when Beltrim Sweet Clover, last after dressage, recorded the only double clear to win under Trevor Smith.

The Beach Ball mare completed on a score of 38, just ahead of the Limmerick gelding Carsonstown Lord (Catherine Robinson) whose total of 39.5 included four show jumping penalties. Andrew Greer, who returned to eventing last year at EI100 level following a 12-year break, had two show jumps down to finish third (42.5) with Galdanagh, one of three horses in the field that had competed at the Co Cork event.

Bidding to double up on their win at Maddybenny seven days earlier, Steven Smith and Dream Master led following Debbie Osborough’s assessment of the dressage phase (30).

Clear show jumping, they looked set for victory until fence 15, the wee water, where the Ryelands Sea Master gelding stood on his overreach boot coming out of the water, stumbled and couldn’t jump the B element skinny.

Emma Jackson’s good round on the Tattersalls winner Cushlas Skyimp ended when they parted company at the same fence.

Beltrim Sweet Clover, who was joint-third in the five-year-old league last season having won the final leg at Scarvagh, was recording her first success at this level on Saturday. She was bred by her owner Lucida Blakiston Houston out of the Triggerero mare Star Anise.

Steven Smith won the ISH five-year-old class on another mare, Diane Harron Eakin’s grey daughter of Loch Cruise, EMS Florence (20.3) who, like all but three in the 13-strong class, finished on the score awarded by dressage judge Harold Bunting.

Co Wicklow raider Brianne Stanley finished second on the Harlequin Du Carel gelding Business Class (24), whose full-brother was in action at Burghley over the weekend, while Clare Abbott was just adrift in third on Airlie Beach (24.3), the only registered horse by Jump For Height (a son of Beach Ball) out of a Loughehoe Guy half-sister to Euro Prince.

Dressage judge Janet Hall was very impressed with Daisy Duggan’s two rides in the ISH four-year-old series but had the Tattersalls winner Willows Peeping Pocket (25.3), a Chacoa gelding out of a full-sister to Tomgar Rembrandt, well ahead of his stable-companion Briarhill Marco (30.5) and they remained first and second to the finish.