WEXFORD’S Bertram Allen is enjoying a successful run across the Atlantic at the moment and he certainly flew the flag for Ireland when winning two four-star classes at Wellington in Florida, both on horses associated with Darragh Kenny.

The first of these was the four-star $116,100 Adequan WEF Challenge Round 3 on Thursday, where 48 starters went to post, with 12 making it through to the jump-off and 10 of them jumping again. Four combinations completed double clear rounds - three of them being Irish!

Allen rode the 14-year-old Eddy Blue into first place when stopping the clock in 48.68 seconds to claim the winner’s prize of $34,830, while Shane Sweetnam also secured a podium place in third with Gilona AO in 50.88 ($17,415) and Cian O’Connor rode Canbella Blue PS into fourth place in 51.7 ($11,610). American Ansgar Holtgers Jr and Pixel-K Van ‘T Kattenheye slotted into second place in 49.55 to take home $23,220.

Allen and the 11-year-old mare Zero K then proved best of 36 starters in the four-star $32,000 1.50m speed class on Friday, when they rode a flawless round in 66.42 seconds to claim the top prize of $9,600. Allen wasn’t satisfied with that though and he also took fifth place with Kadans in a time of 68.42. In a strong class for the Irish, Derry’s Jordan Coyle placed eighth with Calcourt Particle (69.83).

In the ribbons

The third week of the Winter Equestrian Festival saw four-star classes being held at Wellington International in Florida last week.

Sweetnam got off to a great start in the four-star $1,000 1.40m two-phase class last Wednesday, when he secured two top-five placings. He rode Gilona AO into third place in the 38-starter class with a double clear round in 36.4 and also took fifth place with Balou H (37.72). Tom Wachman and Hawaii placed seventh in the class when double clear in 38.65.

Allen and Kadans finished fifth in the day’s four-star $6,000 1.45m two-phase special in a class of 26, when double clear in a phase two time of 37.44. Winner Daniel Bluman (ISR) on Rebelline De Kwakenbeek stopped the clock in 34.25.

Jonathan Corrigan and Darius De Kerglenn slotted into eighth place in Friday’s two-star $32,000 Grand Prix qualifier class. From a start list of 51, the best 12 clear rounds progressed to round two, where six combinations completed double clear rounds. The win went to Wilton Porter (USA) on Sternmarke 3.

Sweetnam came very close to winning the 43-strong four-star $215,000 NetJets Grand Prix on Saturday on board the nine-year-old gelding Rural Juror SCF. Eleven combinations made it through to the jump-off, where seven combinations completed without fault. Sweetnam and his mount stopped the clock in 40.87, but they weren’t quite fast enough to catch Lillie Keenan (USA) on Fasther, who finished in 40.56. Sweetnam pocketed $43,000 to Keenan’s $64,500. Third place went to Thaisa Erwin (AUS) and Hialita B. Allen and Eddy Blue placed ninth in the class.

Corrigan and Darius De Kerglenn scored a podium finish in Sunday’s two-star $62,000 Grand Prix. In a class of 43, just eight managed to jump clear within the allocated time in round one, to book their place in the jump-off. The second round caught a few out and only three managed to complete double clear to claim the well-deserved podium places. Brazil’s Luciana Lossio on Lady Louise Jmen won the class and the $18,750 top prize in a time of 36.37, ahead of Canada’s Amy Millar on Christiano in 37.81 ($12,500), while Corrigan took home $9,375 for third (38.32).

The four-star $62,500 1.50m Classic saw O’Connor and Chatolinue PS finish eighth, with Allen and Kadans in 10th, in a class of 35 starters, where 10 jumped double clear.

Tom Wachman on Corinna (fifth), Cormac Hanley on Santiago VH Netehof (eighth) and Darragh Kerins on Clarentino 3 (fifth) all placed in their respective 1.40m open jumper classes.