DAVID O’Connor, who will be busy during the Northern Region’s mid-term break preparing for the Tullymurry events in July, has his string fit and well judging by his win, on his dressage score (32.3 penalties), in the 15-runner EI110 at Hazeldene 2 on Saturday with Barry and Helen Fletcher’s Twice The Spice.

Co Wexford veterinary surgeon Ciara Kinsella was just a second over the time on her home-bred 2019 Dignified Van’t Zorgvliet mare Tykillen Shindig (35.4) who she had partnered to finish fifth in the six and seven-year-old Star of the Future performance championship at Balmoral the previous morning. They had been eliminated at Hazeldene 1 for omitting a fence.

A 10-year-old ISH mare by Lancelot, Twice The Spice was bred in Co Down by Brian Smyth out of the Don Juan de la Bouverie mare Carneyhaugh Dawn. This was the chesnut’s first EI win on her fifth start at this level. O’Connor has the ride on the mare while her usual partner, Rachel Fletcher, recovers from surgery.

While the cross-country time caught out some of those better-placed after the first phase, others failed to complete for a variety of reasons including one horse being injured in the box during the two jumping phases.

There were wins also at this level on their dressage scores for Newry’s Lucy McIlroy with Major Black in the five-runner Open and for Glenpatrick’s Britt Megahey in the six-strong Amateur class on board R Showman.

Co Offaly’s Maeve Deverell was two seconds over the time on the final leg in the Junior class with Annaharvey Dunowen but, thanks to her excellent dressage score, ran out a comprehensive winner while Co Meath’s Hugh Kelly picked up 2.8 cross-country penalties with Fairyhouse In A Pickle on his way to seeing off his sole rival in the pony class, making up for his omission of a fence seven days earlier.