Sally Parkyn

GAINING victory in the closing moments, and collecting her very first win at the level, British rider Kitty King partnered the precocious Ceylor LAN to head the weekend’s feature class, The Irish Field CCI*** .

Poised in second spot overnight and less than a fence adrift of leader Andrew Nicholson (Jet Set), King’s polished clear round had piled the pressure on the Kiwi supremo. As it did at Badminton however, the tense final phase proved to be the bete noir for Nicholson, whose light rub at the back rail of the parallel at eight was to cost him the class.

“I’m speechless to be honest – although I did dream last night that I would win!” said King afterwards. “I really came here for an Olympic qualification and to give this horse a nice time – I never expected to get my first three-star win on him. I really felt for Andrew though – it was tough.”

An astute four-year-old purchase through an advertisement in the Horse & Hound, the Veron-sired Ceylor LAN had held fourth spot after dressage (43.2), moving up to fill second after collecting just 3.60 penalties in the country.

“I was pleased with his opening mark as he’s still quite green, but annoyed with myself that I didn’t kick on more across country,” she added. “We didn’t have the best of shots at the big angled rail over the ditch (8), but from then on he gave me such a grown-up ride, and grew in confidence all the way round.”

Always destined for an illustrious career, Ceylor LAN was a Burghley Young Event Horse champion as a five-year-old, progressing to head his age classes at the Osberton young horse championships on three consecutive occasions.

Another benefiting from Nicholson’s costly error was William Fox-Pitt, aboard Catherine Witt’s Luxury FH. A little further off the pace after dressage (45.0) the son of Vechta made up ground in the country, and moved into second place after a foot perfect show jumping clear.

“I’m thrilled with him,” said the world number two. “He was second in the CCI** here last year, and the way he has progressed since then has been phenomenal. He’s very special, and an exciting one for the future.”

A former graduate of Carol Gee’s Kilkenny yard, the nine-year-old Luxury FH was lightly competed under E.I rules under Sophie Richards, and bred by Jim Mone out of the mare Luxury Cruise (Lux Z).

Nicholson and Jet Set, who had produced a scorching round in the country, ultimately settled for third place in front of Piggy French and the Irish-bred Seapatrick Cruise.

“As I rode through the finish I still thought I had won,” revealed Nicholson. “I didn’t hear the pole fall.”

IRISH PERFORMANCE

Much to the delight of team trainer Nick Turner and all connections, Irish riders featured prominently in the final stages.

Austin O’Connor retained his dressage mark (50.0) to fill sixth with the promising Kilpatrick Knight, while adding just 4.8 time penalties to his first phase score, Jonty Evans took eighth place with CCI*** debutante Cooley Rorkes Drift.

“He came from my brother Evan as a four-year-old, and has been a hardy boy and taken time,” said O’Connor of Wendy Foster’s son of Master Imp. “I’m lucky enough to have a string of several very nice horses, but Rio is definitely the target around which this horse’s plans revolve.”

Gloucestershire-based Evans has already disclosed that he has the Olympic Games in his sights but for the near future, the son of Courage will have a few days in the field.

Jayne Doherty was always playing catch up with The Only One, who eventually progressed to fill twelfth spot. The talented jumper shot up the leader board from 32nd place, while Mark Kyle, who was unlucky to roll a pole with Loughton Pearl looked smart in 14th spot.

Other good young horse performances included one from the listed Patricia Ryan (Dunrath Eclipse) in 20th, prompting an upbeat Nick Turner to comment: “So pleased with the show jumping – the attention to detail is really paying off. Overall there has been massive improvement and excitingly there is more to come.”

Compatriot Aoife Clark did not quite have the show jumping round she would have liked with the extravagant Arco BB, but she enjoyed a storming cross-country round with this talented performer, who completed in 22nd spot.

Other notable cross-country performances came from Patricia Ryan, who was clear but slower aboard Tullineasky Hi Ho, and Tony Kennedy who was inside the time with Westeria Lane.

It was also good to see the American Olympian Bruce Davidson Jnr paying his first visit to Tattersalls.

Riding the Goresbridge Go For Gold graduate Copper Beech (by Radolin) he produced a classy double clear round, and although he added 7.2 times penalties, and further 1.0 from the show jumping to their opening score, they completed in 17th position.

Heading the 40-strong field after dressage was Australian Sam Griffiths with the imposing Favorit Z. The thoroughbred sired son of Favoritas had wowed the Ground Jury with his accurate, flamboyant performance (36.10) as had Britain’s Flora Harris with Bayano (37.4). At the end of cross-country day however, the leaderboard changed dramatically and tragically.

Setting out in pole position, Griffiths and the highly rated Favorit Z had already incurred a glance off at the middle element of the Horse Sport Ireland water, before the 10-year-old fractured a fore leg between The Irish Field mound (12a) and the exiting triple brush (12b).

Having looked sticky from the outset, Harris’ mount Bayano also glanced off to the left of the middle element of the Horse Sport Ireland water (8b) and later walked home after taking a dislike to the second of the Cavan Equestrian Centre corners (14).

The Cavan corners continued to be influential, accounting for the unseating of third-placed Nick Gauntlett and Crown Talisman, as well as a retirement for Britain’s Vicky Brake and Cooleys First. Gauntlett, who was one of four riders to fall on track, was unshipped when a somewhat reluctant Crown Talisman attempted to bypass the first element.

Others forced to retire were Britain’s Angus Smales, who injured his ankle when falling with A Bit Much at the early trakehner (2) and Asilomar Independence (Michelle Kenny) who fell after leaving a leg at the Equivet Oxer (19).

TALKING POINT

One fence that had been the subject of much discussion prior to competition had been the upright rails exiting the Land Rover water complex (18abc) close to the main arena. Questioned by the ground jury, but given the green light to remain, the fence eventually accounted for just one error (last year’s runners up, Louise Harwood and Whitson).

“Riders don’t like upright rails,” admitted Stark. “But it was a slow me down question, they all respected it and it served its purpose.”

Concurring with Stark was William Fox-Pitt, who added: “There are often too many box fences on courses and, while upright rails are not popular, these rode extremely well.”

Four more horses recorded single errors, including Fernhill Revelation (Fraser Duffy) who clocked up a green 20 penalties at the Cavan corners, as did the well-placed Panda Christie (Little Leo), while Bear Necessity V, ridden by Blyth Tait, incurred his refusal at the Eventing Ireland Sunken Road (17).