River Derg makes winning return for Lt Benson-Byrne
IT was good to see the familiar army colours back out eventing once more, and they were well represented by Lt Adam Benson-Byrne who won the EI110 open sector with the former Geoff Curran ride River Derg.
Commissioned to the Army Equitation School in January 2018, the Co Wicklow native is a graduate of the Kildalton College and spent time in Germany as a rider for Markus Waterhues.
The experienced River Derg meanwhile was making only his second appearance on the track in three years, and while the pair were lucky that leaders Fraser Duffy and Designer Fernhill had a glance off in the country, they looked a very smooth combination.
Another to catch the eye was Zara Nelson, who filled both second and third spots with OLS Queen Bee and OLS King Aragon.
HSI Series EI100
The first of two well filled divisions of the HSI EI100 series went to Michael Ryan with Nick Pomeroy’s 2019 RDS event horse champion Claragh Olala. In a class full of incident, most significantly at the accuracy demanding mound to skinny brush (14ab), Ryan recorded one of only two clean sheets, to head Enniscrone Roller Boy and Paul Donovan.
The Michael Leonard championship at Ballindenisk this weekend is the aim for this OBOS Quality-sired gelding who was bought from the Monart sale.
It was a similar story in the second sector, where fast double clear rounds were few and far between. A glance off at the bogey fence (14b) cost dressage leader Patrick Whelan (Rehy Royal Occasion) dearly, but it opened the door for a busy Fraser Duffy who filled both first and third.
He took the top spot with Carol Gee’s six-year-old Hollypark Neptune (Mermus R) while the similarly owned Donogue Good Lux Bob was a touch slower in third. In a class dominated by the professionals, the on-form Joseph Murphy slotted into second with the Hanna family’s Rock Storm.
Not for the first time this season the EI100 sectors proved lucky for Co Meath producers Michael McNally and Amanda Goldsbury. First up, Goldsbury produced an unbeatable dressage score of just 22.0 with Mariella Letman’s diminutive PLS Coconuts, completing a distance ahead of Dan Alderson with Belline Cavalry Man.
The educational tracks proved straightforward enough for the bulk of these inexperienced runners, and indeed caused no problem to McNally who piloted Carol Swan’s thoroughbred Clonakilty Bay. Benefitting from Patricia Ryan’s retirement with runaway dressage leader Grantstown Coney Street, the six-year-old, completed just a mark in front of Katie O’Sullivan (Licence To Cooley). The winning son of Masterofthehorse (IRE) ran in three bumpers last winter for trainer Timmy Hyde and having now kept a clean sheet from his last three outings, it is hoped he will make a nice event horse for Hyde’s granddaughter (and pony squad member) Olivia.