ALISON Holden and Lates Eddie added a win in the EI115 (Open) at Flowerhill to their 2026 tally, which includes two podium placings at CCI2*-S level. Holden and the 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding by My Oh My, who is owned by the rider’s husband Eamon, recorded the lowest dressage score across the Vida Tansey-judged EI115 sections. They added no further penalties to finish on 28.4, while second place went to James O’Haire riding Penelope Guiness’s Jamaica Rose, over seven marks in arrears.

Holden was complimentary of the venue and the organisers, saying: “The course was beautifully presented, with lots of different and interesting horse-friendly questions. The ground was perfect, it couldn’t have been better, and there were some lovely galloping stretches on the track too. It was such a nice event to attend. Even the portaloos are a pleasant experience and we loved the show jumping viewing area, with seating inside the gazebo.”

While the rider is looking ahead to the CCI3*-S at Millstreet for Lates Eddie, owner Eamon is more focused on recovery and one can only hope that Sunday’s win provided some solace. An accident unloading after the event resulted in a fractured radius for him, which went undiagnosed and untreated until later in the week.

Mia Leonard and Cullinagh Glory B took the victory in the 10-runner EI115, after they were the only combination to incur no penalties in either of the jumping phases. Ninth after dressage on 33, they completed on this score just 0.7 points ahead of runners-up Godfrey Gibbons and Cohiba by Picobello Z. Gibbons enjoyed a good day at his home county event, as he also won the EI110 (Open) with Richard Ames’ Belline Thistle Bethelasttime.

This result marks a return to the good form the Grafenstolz-sired mare demonstrated last season, which culminated in her competing at the World Breeding Championships in France.

Domination

Ian Cassells finished second here with Alannah Kelly’s Cooley Capri Sun, as well as fourth in the EI110, which was dominated by Luca Bortolamei. The Fernhill-based Italian rider claimed all three podium placings on horses owned by Carol Gee, while Cassells’ fourth-placed ride Tresor V’t Dauwhof is also in the ownership of the Kilkenny-based agent. Dressage scores dictated the placings here, as the top six combinations kept clean sheets throughout the jumping phases.

Bortolamei’s winner in this class was the seven-year-old mare Cassalla Z, who earned a mark of 24.8 and left herself a decent margin back to the Italian-breds Lancillotto della Malaspina Z and Lisa Bella della Malaspina Z in second and third respectively. The team of Gee and Bortolomei also took the win in the EI100, also by a considerable margin, with the five-year-old eventing debutante Fernhill Junior.

This combination was the only one to finish on a sub-30 score in the section, and their closest challenge came from Alice Copithorne riding Jamie Byrnes’ traditionally-bred Castleview Lady Cruise. Having secured her Dublin qualification earlier in the week, this five-year-old mare completed on a score of 33.3.

Raju Singh was the only finisher at EI90 level. Riding Hans Kuehnle’s Tullibards New Storm, he completed on a score of 51.5.

The only combination to post a double clear in the jumping phases, Jane Field and the Connemara Clonmoylan Red Hugh topped the EI80 on 31.8.