WHILE his big brother was competing in France, Wexford’s Harry Allen finished a close second in the three-star Big Tour 1.45m jump-off class at Valencia in Spain on Friday on board the 14-year-old gelding Lukaku Vd Bisschop. From the 67 starters, just 18 managed to jump clear round the first-round track within the allocated time, with 10 combinations completing double clear rounds. Time was of the essence and Allen’s round in 40.53 was a mere 0.08 seconds shy of the winning time of 40.45 clocked by Victor Bettendorf (LUX) on Milky Way 111. Alexander Butler on Tequila des Sequoias Z wasn’t far behind in fifth.

On form

Week two of the Moura Tours in Valencia Autumn Tour took place last week, with Irish riders getting into the ribbons in various classes.

Caitlin Glennon on Koh Lanta de Kreisker was a joint winner in the one-star five-year-old 1.10m speed class on Tuesday, while Emma O’Dwyer on Odioratte-W placed sixth in the day’s six-year-old 1.20m speed class. O’Dwyer then placed fifth on Cava in the seven- and eight-year-old 1.30m/1.35m speed class, followed by Alexander Butler in ninth and 10th places with Mega-Tren and Limited Edition H respectively.

Wednesday saw Butler ride Think Nice Dc Z into eighth place in the one-star six-year-old 1.20m jump-off class and the rider went on to place third in the seven- and eight-year-old 1.30m jump-off class on board Maceo du Chapitre, as well as 10th on board Mega-Tren. O’Dwyer placed fourth in the class on Cava.

O’Dwyer and Cava then finished seventh in Thursday’s seven- and eight-year-old 1.30m/1.35m two-phase special. Harry Allen placed fifth in the day’s three-star Small Tour 1.30m class with Marthe d’Ecaussinnes, while Billy Twomey rode Julius into eighth place in the three-star Medium Tour 1.40m two-phase special.

Allen secured another top 10 placing with Calculatus, when seventh in the three-star Big Tour 1.45m speed class, while Glennon and Koh Lanta de Kreisker placed ninth in the one-star five-year-old 1.10m two-phase special class.

Friday saw O’Dwyer and Kiss Me Van Ten Bos Z finish ninth in the one-star Classic Tour 1.35m speed class. The rider then took fourth place in the three-star Medium Tour 1.35m two-phase special, immediately followed by Allen on Marthe d’Ecaussinnes in fifth.

O’Dwyer scored another top-five finish in Saturday’s one-star Special Ladies’ Award 1.35m jump-off class, when fifth on board Kiss Me Van Ten Bos Z.

Top spot

O’Dwyer and Dougie Drea claimed the top spot in the three-star Medium Tour 1.35m speed class, while Sunday’s equivalent saw this combination place third.

Allen was back on the scoreboard in Sunday’s three-star Big Tour 1.45m speed class when he and Guerlain de Kreisker placed fourth, followed by Butler on Carrielane in 10th place.

Allen rode Jellycat des Etangs into fifth place in the one-star Classic Tour 1.20m jump-off class to conclude a pleasing show for the Irish.