Sally Parkyn

SQUEAKING home by the narrowest of margins, Ireland’s Harold Megahey and Vanir Hello Duca took pole position in a highly competitive CICI**.

Holding just 0.1 penalty advantage before the final phase and with absolutely no room for error, the European young rider team gold medallist set off across the country with intent and galloped home within the time.

“I had a few time faults with my earlier horse, so I knew I had to go a bit quicker,” he said afterwards. “She gave me a great ride. I’m not used to riding mares, and find them quite different, but she just locked on everywhere.”

Owned by Vina Buller, and offered to Megahey when her regular rider Suzanne Hagen had a baby, Vanir Hello Duca is a 10-year-old by Hello Oscar (dam by Duca Di Busted).

“This is the first time we really clicked, and now I feel like we trust each other,” he added. “She’s on the market at the moment, but I will be keeping the ride until she’s sold.” Putting the pressure on Megahey throughout, Co Wexford duo Michelle Kenny and Euralia A were equally speedy in second spot. Another new partnership to shine, Kenny picked the ride at the start of the year when former jockey Brian Coleman went to work in America.

“Her owner Tom Jones was keen to keep her running, and the Coleman’s kindly recommended me,” explained Kenny. “We got on from the start. It’s so nice to have a horse that is really competitive at the level – it’s not often they come around.”

Tattersalls under-25 class is next on the agenda for the mare, who was sourced in Goresbridge, but is German-born by Escudo 1 out of the Hanoverian mare Patrizia.

FIRST PHASE LEADER

Although Megahey and Kenny were always well placed (in second and third spots) after dressage, the leaderboard quickly changed shape when first phase leader Costanza Mantici (Daisy’s Diamante) dropped out of contention in the show jumping. Having clocked up 16 penalties, the mare plummeted down the order, before redeeming herself with a clear in the country.

Fourth-placed Esib Power was another to slide after lowering two with Kachemire Le Beau, while Nicola Ennis lost her fifth spot when Briary Swan tipped three.

Benefiting, and ultimately posting one of only four double clears, third place fell to Steven Smith with Diane Harron Eakin’s smart seven-year-old Ringfort Rubicon. The homebred gelding by Iroko has now gained his Le Lion D’Angers qualification and may well take part in the six/seven-year-old class at Tattersalls later this month.

Always influential, the order changed once more in the country, most notably when Melanie Wrynn lost her third placing with Annaghmore Ardeo.

The flamboyant jumper shot past the second part of Peters Problem (14), while the well placed Camilla Speirs, riding BT Cloud Nine, will be kicking herself for taking the wrong line at the last. Sarah Wardell (Knockeven Harry) and Harriet Dickin (Dargle Looks) added an extra twenty penalties to their scores, while David Sheedy, who parted company with OCS Electric Clover Boy at the fourth, was the only faller.