JOSEPH Murphy’s excellent start to the season continued last Saturday at Tyrella (2) where he finished first and second in the Connolly’s Red Mills CNC*** with Fernhill Frankie and Sportsfield Othello.

Already in the lead with the latter, winner of the advanced class at Ballindenisk, Murphy knew he only had himself to beat when tackling the final show jumping phase on Annette O’Callaghan’s 10-year-old Frankfort Boy gelding.

The grey picked up four time penalties but, fortunate at the Liverpool fence at five, he left all the poles intact to win on a total of 54.6. Sportsfield Othello, who was slightly faster of the pair across the country, had lowered the first show jump, a rustic oxer, and fence five to complete on 55. Steven Smith, another rider who had a rewarding day at the seaside, was third with Bonito (59.7), their finishing position not being affected when lowering the oxer first element of the double at nine.

“I’m fairly open-minded as to where he goes next,” said Murphy of Fernhill Frankie. “I’ve talked to the owner and, while the horse is now qualified for a CCI***, it’s more likely than not that he’ll do the CICs at Ballindenisk and Tattersalls as I’d like to get him more established at this level. He could then be aimed at a CCI in the autumn.

“I love Tyrella with its undulations, which makes it a bit more difficult for horse and rider, and its great going. It was noticeable on Saturday however that the rain we’d had since the previous weekend made the ground ride a bit dead. Also, the direction the tracks took on Saturday is tougher as horses were tired coming to the end of the course where there were plenty of questions. Jumping two waters one after another is hard on horses. There was a good jump out of the first one; it’s a tough old fence that way around.”

Murphy added: “Aaron (McCusker) is doing a great job with the show jumping tracks as they are up to height and take riding which is as it should be. If you have a jumper you can take on the time but, if you haven’t, you will pick up time penalties,” concluded Murphy.

DEBUTS

Three horses made their debuts at this level on Saturday with Alex Houston withdrawing the mare Skyfall Echo before show jumping having had a run-out at the skinny second element of the ski jump at 14 on phase two. SRS Adventure (Sophie Richards), who was a close second after dressage to the vastly more experienced Dunrath Eclipse, finished fourth having picked up 22.4 cross-country time penalties and three for time in the show jumping ring where he also lowered a pole.

The eight-year-old skewbald gelding Seavaghan Ash should have emulated his sire Glenhill Gold by winning this class but, unaware that it’s no longer permissible to wear a top hat in national dressage, even in an FEI test, owner/rider Declan Cullen was eliminated. The partnership put in the fastest cross-country round in the section with the addition of just 10.4 time penalties and then recorded the only clear within the time over the coloured poles to finish on a total of 48.4.

“I’m just gutted,” said an understandably dejected Cullen. “I won this exact class on this fellow’s sire back in 2010 and what an achievement it would have been to have won it on his son as well. I can’t tell you how disappointed I am.”

Riding the eye-catching Rock Harbour, Murphy had to settle for second place in the open intermediate behind one of his pupils, Adam Haugh.

The 19-year-old, who has six horses in work at his own Kilkeel yard, claimed the seven-runner class on a dressage score of 40 penalties with his father Raymond’s 14-year-old Touchdown gelding Master Gold Touch whose first major target of the season will be the CCI** at Ballindenisk.

With four course changes during the day, the organisers, particularly course designer Adam Stevenson, could have done without any delays but there were a few, notably in the CNC** when the home-based Emily Corbett was attended to on the ground for some time having been unseated from Leapfrog at the skinny second element of fence eight.

There was a long gallop uphill basically from the Irish gate at six and, just before the copse of trees at the top of the climb, the two-star track turned right-handed to eight, the first element of which was a box corner. There was a long one stride between the two parts and few jumped it with ease.

Clare Steele was stopped at this fence with the homebred R. Junior who was making his debut at this level. On being restarted, the combination tackled eight better than some but unfortunately were eliminated when going the wrong side of a flag at the three-part second water at 16.

Viewing from down the hill, one horse who appeared to jump eight well was Mary Guinness’s gelding Sorbet, the mount of Melanie Young. The eight-year-old Anglo Arab added 9.2 cross-country time penalties to his winning dressage score before lowering one pole for a total of 41.2. This left the Kildare combination a long way ahead of the second-placed young Gowran rider Christine O’Donnell and Blessington Prince Royal (55.1).

“I took my time and show jumped eight but had to push for a long stride between the elements,” said Young. “This horse is a pleasure to ride as he just loves his job. He has only been back in Ireland for about three weeks and, while I was a bit concerned about his fitness level, I needn’t have been. However, this run will have brought him on a good bit. He will run in the CIC** at Ballindenisk and then the CCI** at Tatts.”