Margie McLoone

THE Irish Field’s eventing columnist Sarah Ennis had a near-perfect start to the season with two wins and a second from her four rides at Ballinagore on Sunday.

In claiming the runner-up spot in the Crozier CNC* class, Woodcourt Garrison finished behind his stable-companion, Alice Kehoe’s homebred seven-year-old Westwinds Karlos, who was making his debut at this level on his first EI appearance since July 2013.

The pair disputed the lead on 28 penalties following Jackie Doherty’s judging of the dressage phase but, while Westwinds Karlos show jumped clear, Woodcourt Garrison lowered two poles to drop to second. He was then slower (eight time penalties) across the country as Kehoe’s gelding consolidated his lead with the fastest round of the day (3.2 penalties) over the one-star track.

By French Buffet out of the Porter Rhodes mare Westwinds Clover (dam also of Joseph Murphy’s three-star ride Westwinds Hercules), ‘Karlos’ has caught the eye since winning the Stepping Stones league as a five-year-old.

“Everybody loves Charlie!” said Ennis, who is aiming the chesnut at the one-star class at Tattersalls. The rider was also pleased with the performance of the six-year-old Woodcourt Garrison who had two novice runs last season.

“He had a stupid run-out at Grove (in October) but has grown up a lot over the winter.”

Both novice horses are competing at Tyrella (1) today, after which it will be a quick turnaround for Ennis, whose four rides at Ballindenisk (1) tomorrow include Moss Star, winner of Sunday’s open novice class which was sponsored by Ballinagore Equestrian Centre.

Only joint-fifth after dressage on 30.3 penalties, Helen Keenan’s 13-year-old skewbald gelding (who is on the market), rose to the top of the leaderboard thanks to his double jumping clear and the addition of just 5.6 cross-country time penalties.

Patricia Ryan, making a rare foray into the northern half of the country for a national competition, led after the flatwork phase on 25.8 with Tullineaskey Hi Ho but he dropped down to eighth with four show jumping penalties and 20.4 for time over the fixed obstacles.

In the CNCJ* class, sponsored by agricultural consultants Tom and Una Dolan, Tessa Harley and Catsky comfortably topped the rankings after dressage on 15.8 penalties. However, with a fence down show jumping and time penalties on both jumping phases, she had to settle for second behind Conor Maguire and the nine-year-old Templebready Fear Bui gelding Derroon Wood.

The Co Sligo combination, whose total of 37.9 included 16.4 cross-country time penalties, were recording back-to-back victories having signed off the 2014 season with a win at Kilmanahan (2).

In spite of four show jumping penalties, Newtownards rider Izzy Riley led from start to finish to claim the Woodgrove Interiors CNCP** class on Karen Pillow’s Monarch Of The Glenwith over 12 points in hand. The pair was easily the quickest across the country from the six starters.

Two new combinations were on the mark on Sunday, Co Wicklow’s Blathnaid Boyd recording an all-the-way success in the Brendan and Ruth Robinson-sponsored EI100P class with Fernhill Rubywhen adding just 0.8 for time on the final leg to her first phase score of 27.5. The now 12-year-old grey mare represented Ireland last July at the European championships in Millstreet.

Also making a winning debut in the Hanamay’s Motors EI 100J section was Adam Haugh, who completed on his dressage score of 28.3 penalties with Kate Harrington’s 2009 European young rider championship mount Jantar. The 15-year-old Polish-bred gelding is still owned by EI president, Jessica Harrington.

Ella Boyle led after the flatwork phase (24.5) with her new ride Candy 737 but dropped out of the reckoning when picking up 20 jumping penalties at the first fence on the cross-country course.

In spite of four cross-country time penalties, Orlaith Delamere held on to win the EI 90 class with Paul Merrins’s seven-year-old appaloosa mare Allanahs Sioga, having established a clear lead after the dressage phase which she won on a score of 23.3.

Well-known show pony rider and Bray Pony Club member Sadhbh Peelo Stassin made a winning debut under EI rules when landing the EI 90P class on her dressage mark of 35.5 with Adrienne Traynor’s homebred Clonross Giselle, a 12-year-old bay mare by Grange King’s Surf.

Disappointingly for Rachel Power Wallace riding Scots Clan, she added eight cross-country time penalties to her winning flatwork mark of 35.