RICHHILL’s Matthew Johnston recorded an all-the-way success in Section A of the EI100 at Lightsource BP Tyrella (3) last Saturday on Diamond Debut.

Owned by the rider’s mother Lesley, the five-year-old Renkum Valentino gelding, who had finished seventh first time out at the same venue the previous weekend, is out of the Flagmount Diamond mare, Amber Glo.

Placed on all three of her rides on Saturday, the in-form Amanda Goldsbury benefitted from the optimum time ruling when landing the closely-fought Section B on her Clyda (1) winner, Right On Q, a six-year-old Castlecomer Q mare. Completing on the same joint-winning dressage score, Adam Haugh had to settle for second on the five-year-old Casdorff gelding Carsonstown Cruise who was having just his third start.

There were some very promising young horses in both well-filled divisions of this class.

On just her fourth outing under Eventing Ireland rules, Dublin’s Sophie Roden landed a narrow victory in the 20-runner EI100 (J) class with The Plaster, an eight-year-old skewbald gelding who, until his purchase by the Rodens, spent his time on the hunting field or competing in hunter trials (see photo on page 132).

On a weekend when three of her ‘Class’ graduates did so well in Britain, Kathy Charlton made a successful seasonal debut (she only competed once last year) in Saturday’s 28-runner EI90 section with the newcomer Class Vista who, purchased privately last November in Kerry, completed on his joint-winning dressage score (24.3).

A son of Orestus, Class Vista was bred in Co Cavan by Noel Tierney out of the Clover Hill mare Sillian Clover who was out of an unraced thoroughbred mare by Bulldozer. Amanda Goldsbury finished second here on another debutante, the former point-to-pointer Secret Approach (29.5), an eight-year-old Gamut gelding.

The previous weekend’s scorers, Poppy Moore and Crecora Angel, had to settle for second (30.5) in last Saturday’s 10-strong EI90 (P) class behind the marginal winners Carlow’s Rachel Carr and her father Gareth’s Araglen Bucks Fizz (30.3). Carr and the 2006 Gigman Orinoco gelding were having their first EI start since finishing fourth in last year’s national championships at Kilguilkey House.