AMONG the many successful horses over the weekend with Cooley in their names were two Kilkenny International-owned geldings, who won the highest-graded classes at Loughanmore on Saturday in the hands of John Tilley.
The 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood Licence To Cooley, a son of Balou du Rouet Z, led from start to finish in the EI115 (Open), despite picking up 9.6 cross-country time penalties for a total of 40.3. The more locally-based Joseph Murphy was second-fastest across the country (4.8), but had a pole down show jumping with Barberstown Castle Rehy (41.3), while Co Cork’s Momo Sheehy finished third with Da Vinci whose completion score (42.7) included 6.8 for time over the fixed fences.
One of the 12 starters was eliminated across the country and one in the concluding show jumping phase.
It initially appeared that Tilley had finished second behind Jane Fitzgerald (Ballymurphy Hughie) in the EI115 but, following a number of queries into ‘speeding’ penalties, it was discovered that the starting clock had jumped 30 seconds after a number of competitors had gone and, following a recheck of times, some slight adjustments were made to the results.
Tilley’s winner was the Diana Warrington-bred Cooley Quickfire (Womanizer - Air Cruise, by Cruising) whose total of 56.3 included 15.2 cross-country time penalties. The nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse jumped the only double clear in the seven-runner class, where one combination failed to complete.
The Kilkenny International team left their Borris yard at 2.30am for their drive north, having been competing at a weather-hit Barnadown on Friday when they only got to jump one horse.
“While such an early start isn’t ideal, we find it a lot easier than staying overnight,” revealed Kilkenny International’s Andrew Williams.
“Licence To Cooley is heading for the 4* long at Blenheim, where both Cooley Quickfire and Grand Espoir (seventh in Saturday’s EI115 (Open)) are running in the eight and nine-year-old class. We were also delighted with Brianne Stanley’s home-bred All Business, who was fourth (28.9) in the EI100 on her first affiliated start. John rode her here, but she did a bit in the spring, including the Stepping Stones, when she was ridden by Caoimhe Foley.
“The ground was great at Loughanmore and the course was lovely, beefed up from the last day with a lot more questions.”
Three of the 25 starters in that EI100 failed to complete, including the dressage winners on 25.8, Nadia Sabot and Mika Of Heritage.
Co Meath’s Lexi Kilfeather topped the final leaderboard on her first phase score (26.5) with her mother Everina’s very consistent Padraig Arthur-bred six-year-old ISH mare TDS Aurelia (Tyson - Moonbeam, by Balou du Rouet). Gwen Scott finished second on another 2020 ISH mare, Shirley Hurst’s former top show hunter Tattygare Me Me Me (27), a home-bred daughter of Arkan.
Only five combinations were clear over the Aaron McCusker-designed show jumping track in the 26-strong EI110 and, of these, none managed to do so within the time.
The top five on the final leaderboard all had a fence down apiece with Co Wicklow-based New Zealand international Amanda Goldsbury also picking up two time penalties en route to victory on a total of 33 with Cooley Farm’s ESI Lincoln (Callahan - ESI Sofia, by Simba). This was just a fourth EI start, all at the same level, for the Ennisnag Stud-bred six-year-old ISH gelding who has 37 Show Jumping Ireland points to his credit.
The above-mentioned Jane Fitzgerald had to settle for the runner-up position again here on Ballymurphy George, whose completion score (36.5) included the four jumping penalties. Having retired here earlier in the month, Andrew Greer was on a recovery mission on Saturday and had to be pleased with his third place finish on Sharp Object (39.9), having incurred 4.4 cross-country time penalties, as well as lowering one of the coloured poles.
There were just four finishers from six starters in the EI110 (Open), which Steven Smith won on his own seven-year-old ISH gelding Lachain Lance (Lancelot - Lachain Cruise Dancer, by Cruising), whose completion score (24.2) included 0.4 for time across the country. Twenty time penalties on the final leg put paid to the chances of Momo Sheehy and TMX Herby, who were on 17 after dressage.
Completing on her dressage score with HSH Washington (30.3) in the 12-runner EI90, Kelley Hutchinson spoiled a one-two finish for Lucca Stubington. The latter led throughout on 27.3 with Sheelagh Kennedy’s five-year-old home-bred ISH gelding Magic Angelo (Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve - Magic Cuidam, by Luidam) and finished third with Hammie Hamilton’s 10-year-old home-bred thoroughbred gelding Kingfisher Lane (33.5), who had a fence down show jumping.
Lying third after dressage, young Molly Reid recorded her first EI win when landing the 11-runner EI80 on board the 16-year-old British-bred mare Greylands Diamond Girl (31.3).