Rachel Dowley

IRISH international rider Kate Dwyer and her rising Grand Prix star Snowdon Faberge made their Grand Prix debut on foreign soil at Somerford Park Premier League last weekend.

They began their campaign at the Cheshire venue in Saturday’s Inter II, where they finished just outside the placings in seventh on a score of 68.03%. The class was won by Becky Moody on Julie Lockey’s prolific young horse champion Carinsio on a mark of 71.80%, while British team regular Gareth Hughes was second on his new ride Don Carissimo.

The following day’s Grand Prix saw Dwyer score 66.08% for 13th place, her high score of 68.01% coming from the president of the Ground Jury at the London Olympics, British judge Stephen Clarke.

FUTURE CAREER

Such results bode well for this combination’s future international career, as do those of Talland-based Abigail Hutton and Armagnac, who finished 18th in this class on a score of 63.30%. The Grand Prix was won by Spencer Wilton and Supernova.

Belinda Brereton and her own five-year-old son of Negro, Galaxy Moone, consolidated the good form they showed at Keysoe Premier League last time out by finishing second in the five-year-old class.

They were narrowly beaten by Mount St John Furstin Fugger, ridden by the stud’s stable jockey Lucinda Elliot, and Galaxy Moone now heads to Hickstead to contest the young horse championships. His stablemate Captain Negro C also posted some solid performances at Somerford, earning 66.40% for 14th place at Prix St Georges.