GALWAY’s Cathal Daniels started the 2020 eventing season on a high, winning both the CCI2*-S and the CCI3*-S in Barroca d’Alva, Portugal, last weekend, bringing his numbeer of FEI wins to 19.

Daniels won the 50-runner three-star short format with Michelle Nelson and Kieran Connor’s nine-year-old Samgemjee-sired Irish Sport Horse OLS King Aragon.

Second after dressage on a score of 30.7, behind Brazil’s Marcelo Tosi (26.5), Daniels was one of just four riders to make the time allowed across the country. A clear over the coloured poles saw him finish on that dressage score to see off Britain’s David Doel and Eisfee in second (31.9) and Japan’s Kenki Sato in third place aboard Vick Du Gisors JRA (31.6).

Padraig McCarthy was next best of the Irish in fifth place with the 16-year-old gelding Leonidas II, owned by Diane Brunsden and Peter Cattell. The combination added just 5.6 time penalties to their dressage score of 34.4.

OLS King Aragon runs in the four-star long format this weekend, where he will aim to get his qualification score for the 2020 Olympic Games.

Daniels also claimed victory in the CCI2*-S aboard Dr Sarah Hughes’ Irish Sport Horse Shannondale Mari (Shannondal Sarco St ghyvan x Lux Z). Bred by Martin Walsh, the gelding was ridden by Esib Power last season and finished eighth at the WBFSH World Breeding Championships for Young Horses in Le Lion d’Angers.

Daniels lead from pillar to post, opening with a dressage mark of 26.9 and added nothing further to see off France’s Aurelie Riedweg and Rohan Du Maneix (28.5). Austin O’Connor finished fifth with the seven-year-old KWPN mare Isazsa, owned by Lesley Rose, when finishing on his dressage score of 29.2.

“I am ambitious for this weekend, hopefully I can repeat what I did last week. The ground rode super, really nice cross-country course. The horses all recovered really well and are ready to run this weekend. It would be nice to get an early qualification if possible,” Daniels said.

As well as the four horses he has competing, Daniels also travelled his European bronze medal-winning mare Rioghan Rua. She will not run but instead take in the surroundings and continue on her training towards Tokyo.