IRELAND’S Momo Sheehy and Da Vinci (HOLST) put in a hugely impressive performance to take the win in the NutriScience Equine CCI3*-L class at Ballindenisk International, finishing on their dressage score of 30.7 penalties. The Diego De Semilly-sired gelding, owned by Sheehy’s father Morgan, has had a successful season, most recently finishing 13th in the CCIYH3*-S class at Cornbury House Horse Trials.

“Da Vinci has had a long season as we started the year in Portugal in the spring, so that’s him finished for this year, but next year I’d like to aim him at the eight/nine-year-old class at Blenheim, so we’ll try to work our way up to that next season.”

Ian Cassells (IRL) and AFS Ralph took second place, adding just four time penalties on the cross country course to their first-phase score of 34.7 penalties. Owned by Mary Phelan, the nine-year-old gelding by Chacoa (HOLST) has had a number of top placings this year, including a top-15 finish at Millstreet International Horse Trials at CCI3*-S level in May.

Great Britain’s Ella Dalton took third place on Mrs J Lom and Mrs L Charlton’s Chantilly Amatullah (ISH). The grey gelding, bred by Enda Mulkere, was previously campaigned by French rider Gaspard Maksud before Dalton took over the reins last year.

Irish-based British rider Daniel Alderson finished on his dressage score with Seafield Celt (ISH) to take fourth place on a score of 39.3 penalties. Another seven-year-old competing at the level, the Celtic Hero BZ (Zang) gelding, owned by Kate Lenihan, finished 10th in the CCIYH2*-S (six/seven-year-olds) class at Millstreet International Horse Trials.

Another combination to finish on their dressage score and rise up the leaderboard as a result was Mark Houlihan and Jane O’Flynn’s CFH Grand Vivendi (ISH), who took fifth place. Godfrey Gibbons and Richard Ames’ Belline Thistle Bethelasttime (ISH) added penalties in both jumping phases to their dressage score of 32.2 penalties, dropping them from third to sixth place on the final day.