JONNY Steele signed off on his best season to date with a win in the EI115 (Open) at Punchestown last Saturday on board John Reid’s Centre Stage while he was placed on his other three rides, all of whom are by the Anglo European Studbook-registered stallion.

“It was a lovely day out and a great way to end the campaign,” said Steele of the Riverhill Stud in Co Down. “Henry is an amazing horse. He has endless scope and it was my fault that we picked up those cross-country jumping penalties at Ballindenisk (in the CCI4*-S). For the first time ever, I decided to let the handbrake off and I had absolutely no idea how fast he was – we just ran by the fence.

“He’ll be hacked out over the winter until it’s time to get ready for next year when the plan is to aim him at a four-star long; hopefully, he’ll be better than ever. He covered about 30 mares this year and each time he competes, he seems to attract some breeder’s attention.

“I had an issue with his shoes on Friday and I’d like to thank our farrier of over 10 years, Colin McCormack, for coming over that evening to sort him out.

“This was my 10th win of the season from 85 rides and I’ve had numerous placings. Tara Moneypenny came with me on Saturday and had the horses all ready to go. We didn’t hang around afterwards as it was my 11th wedding anniversary so I wanted to get home to celebrate with Clare and the boys (William and Jack).”

Centre Stage, whose two other wins this season included the EI115 (Open) national championship, claimed Saturday’s 15-runner class on a total of 32 penalties, which included two for time across the country.

Alannah Kelly, who was on the Irish silver medal-winning team at the European Young Riders’ championships in Sweden, finished second with Albert VI (33.8), who led after dressage but had a fence down show jumping, and was third on her flat work mark with Stroke Of Genius (35.2).

Daniels one-two

There were just five starters in Saturday’s EI110 (Open) where Cathal Daniels, having his first EI rides since competing in the European championships last month, finished first and second on the Sarah Hughes-owned pair of Alcatraz (27.4), who recorded the only show jumping clear, and Shannondale Mari (35.5).

In addition to Steele, two other Northern Region members were on the mark in unrestricted classes on Saturday.

First up, Suzanne Hagan landed the 25-strong EI100 on her dressage score with Anne Magee’s Dutch Warmblood mare Karolita O, a six-year-old by Firestone who was having her fifth EI start. Only five other combinations remained unpenalised after the dressage phase including Romy McCarthy with the six-year-old Spanish Sport Horse Orza SC who finished second on 31.3.

Fourteen starters lowered at least one fence in the sand arena and while few incurred jumping penalties over the Dereck Hamilton-designed cross-country course, roughly half of the field fell foul of the clock. The top six in the 17-strong EI90 completed on their dressage scores headed by Tyrella’s Emily Corbett on the Eventing Ireland newcomer Kinetic Blue (26.3) and followed by Michelle Duerst riding the five-year-old Holsteiner mare, Ida II (26.8).

The winning six-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, a chesnut son of Zirocco Blue out of a Chin Chin mare, has 16 Show Jumping Ireland points which he amassed earlier this year when ridden by James Connors Smyth for Stevie Macken and Paul O’Shea.

There were just two amateur classes on Saturday and only three combinations started at EI100 level where the honours went to Rachael O’Callaghan who completed on her winning dressage score with Charlie Walsh and Dot Love’s much-admired former racehorse Heisacoolhand (21.8), a 16-year-old grey gelding by Great Palm.

Eliminated in the show jumping phase at Rosanna in late May on their seasonal debut in an unrestricted class, Jodi Cox and her 11-year-old black mare Onyx made their first appearance since then a winning one in Saturday’s four-runner Packhorse EI90 (Amateur).