IT was certainly a day for repeat successes and another to score was the EI 100J partnership of Ava Bannahan and Rathnaleen Dark Secret. Winners at Kedrah last month, the duo impressed Pat Ryan on the flat to earn a winning mark of just 28.0. Remaining in dressage order, all six runners produced double clears leaving Kym Jolly and Silverspring Custard in second (30.1), from Holly Micklem and Sunny Girl.

Equally at home in the dressage arena as she is on the event track, Sophie Walshe filled first and third spots in the EI 100J. The former Irish pony dressage squad member piloted the thoroughbred gelding Kinsau into pole position, and leading from the front won on her opening score of 24.5. The once raced son of Indian Danehill has now completed seven runs under EI rules and incredibly has retained his first phase score on each occasion.

Chasing the winning pair throughout, April O’Neill held to second place with Mealagh Orion (28.8), from Walshe again with the winning point-to-pointer Heisacoolhand (31.8).

Michelle Kenny picked up a lucky new ride to head the 26 runners in the first section of the EI 100. Teaming up with Veronica Goodwin’s Sherwater, Kenny impressively scored 23.5 on the flat, finally completing nearly six marks ahead of Olivia Downes (Clonshire Troika) and Ciaran Glynn (La Peregrina). The winning son of Jack Of Diamonds is usually ridden by Aoife Goodwin-Boers, but due to exam commitments the ride on the eight-year-old passed to will Kenny.

While time faults juggled some of the lower placings, Ian Hannon (Ballinglen Dreamys Boy and The Cats Pyjamas) and Ailbhe McGrath (Tredstep Renaissance Man) will be kicking themselves, as both incurred elimination after jumping the wrong element at the water two from home.

Making a welcome return to the Irish event circuit this season after an absence of six years, Katie Prowse landed the second EI 100 division with her own Un Roo Li. Better known in her capacity as the former owner-rider of Trish Ryan’s three-star partner Tullineasky Hi Ho, Prowse has returned to Ireland after some years spent travelling and the past three in England.

DELIGHTED

Now based near Barnadown, Co Wexford, Prowse is busy producing young horses and was particularly delighted with this win aboard the homebred Un Roo Li (23.3). The son of Ars Vivendi was taking part in only his second event, and having filled fourth at Rosanna, led from flag fall to better Robbie Collins and the smart Dunrath What Ho (24.5) as well as the Caroline Bjoerk bred DLS Lucy Lou (27.2) ridden by Diarmuid O’Brien. Apart from a few isolated penalties at early fences the track rode well, and all completed.

Local rider Lindsay Graham produces horses in nearby Rosenallis, so she was delighted to rack up a EI90 win with her precocious event debutante Shanbeg Pandora. Only a four-year-old, the daughter of Ustinov impressed to gain an opening score of 20.0 and never looked like being headed. Very well related, she is a half-sister to the 1.40m show jumper and two-star event horse Candyman Leanorth, as well as Ireland’s top priced foal at auction in 2013. The filly now heads for Goresbridge’s new Select Event Horse sale next week.

In what proved to be a good class for the fairer sex, Kim O’Gorman moved up to fill second with the six-year-old Jazzy Jaybird by Rebel Mountain, from Dennis Coakley with the nine-year-old Prince Louis. Just three set out to contest the EI 90P which was won by Alice Cole and Curracloe Minnie Ha Ha. With Alice taking over the rider from her sister Chloe, the mare led the dressage (23.1) to hold the advantage over second-placed Ben Rowlatt McCormick (Mon Ami Tonnere) and the remaining runner Caoimhe Conroy (Bedrock Riley)