CATHERINE Robinson rounded off a good day for the McCluskey team when she collected the EI 100 red ribbon with Neil McCluskey and River Lodge Eventing’s six-year-old Greenhall Vivendi Cruz (by Ars Vivendi). Bred by Derry Rothwell and sold through the 2016 Goresbridge May Select event horse sale, the mare led from the front to complete on her opening score of 28.5.

“She had been show-jumping, had a break and has come in a different mare,” commented Robinson. “I think she will be a great junior prospect. She will move up to one-star next time out and will be for sale at the end of the year. I also thought they had done a good job with the ground and the tracks. Horses were actually making a print, the track was flowing and a proper stepping stone to the next level.”

Sarah Dowley was also foot-perfect in second with the smart Bonmahon Liberation (32.0), reversing placings with Sophie Walshe who tipped a rail with Herobrine (33.8). The track rode well in the main. Different fences led to the few isolated penalties, two of which resulted eliminations.

The experienced campaigner Hazy Dayz clocked up her first win of the year when, piloted by Sophie Foyle, she won the EI 100J. Now a 13-year-old, the mare was first introduced to the sport by Sue Shortt back in 2009, and has since been ridden by Heidi Hamilton, as well as Cathal Daniels. Foyle took over the reins nearly two years ago and has remained at this level for the duration.

Some clean jumping ensured that Michelle Dunne held onto second with recent Killossery victor A One Your Highness, reversing places with Sadhbh Bolger, who dislodged one pole with her new ride Cooley Cappuccino.

Tom Rowlatt-McCormick’s long journey from Co Down paid off when he won the pony EI 100 division with the ultra-consistent Mon Ami Tonnerre. Since taking over the ride from his brother Ben last year, Tom has now racked up four wins, and has never been placed lower than fourth. The pair led from the front, to finish a distance ahead of Ruth Burke, also clear with My Late Find, and Annalise Cullen (AC Remus).

Experienced horses dominated the results, and another to fill the top spot was Sherwater ridden by Aoife Goodwin-Boers. The 10-year-old son of Jack of Diamonds, who was sourced at Clonshire Equestrian five years ago, produced two clean-jumping rounds, to head the younger event debutante Omaybe (Alice Martin Jones). The latter was placed second in the event horse class at the RDS last year, while in third spot and also double clear, the five-year-old Tamerlane ridden by Nicky Roncorini was a top 10 finalist at the Burghley equivalent. Recent Killossery winners Jason Dear and Miss Saulsford had looked on track to land a double but having led the dressage they tipped the third fence in the show jumping to slip to fourth.

Pony rider Lucie Glynn is on a roll with Bramble-brough Eoghan and, clocking up their fifth win of the campaign, led the EI90P from Rachel Carr (Araglen Bucks Fizz) and Keelan Murray (Lough Fadda Rudi).