IAN Cassells added two more podium placings to his tally at Millstreet, when he finished second and third in the Foran Equine CCI3*-S riding Cooley Capri Sun and Rutland Flamenco respectively, while Australia’s Kevin McNab claimed the win with the Irish Sport Horse Newmarket Amy. Cassells began his competition by lying second and fourth after the first phase, sandwiching McNab, while U25 team medallist Godfrey Gibbons topped the leaderboard with Richard Ames’ Belline Thistle Bethelasttime on a score of 28.2.

Cassells moved into first and second after Saturday’s show jumping, in which Gibbons and McNab each incurred four faults, while, fifth after dressage, Momo Sheehy and Da Vinci rose to third after they posted a clear round. Cross-country time faults had the ultimate influence on the 43-starter class, however, and McNab and his eight-year-old mare sealed the win when they were the only combination to finish inside the optimum time on a total score of 34.

A fitting win

This result marked a second completion for the combination at the Cork venue, where they were second in this class last year, and was all the more fitting given that the mare was bred locally by Scarteen Stud’s Billy Daly. McNab was also victorious at this level during Millstreet’s May fixture, partnering Lone Ranger on that occasion.

The faster of Cassells’ two cross-country rounds in this class came aboard Alannah Kelly’s eight-year-old gelding Cooley Capri Sun, with whom, from three runs, Cassells has never finished worse than second. Their 5.2 time penalties saw them complete on a score of 35.1, well ahead of third-placed Rutland Flamenco. A silver medallist in the six-year-old section at Lion D’Angers last year, Patrick Murphy’s mare incurred 14.4 time penalties to finish almost 10 marks adrift on 44.5.

Dressage leaders Gibbons and Belline Thistle Bethelasttime finished in eventual fourth on 45.4, while Sheehy’s 16.4 time faults saw her drop to fifth with Da Vinci. Young Rider Jasper Kelly rose from 28th after the first phase to finish sixth riding his mother’s OBOS Quality-sired mare Agatha Raisin after the combination added only 11.6 time penalties to their starting score of 36.3.