TIPPERARY’S Shane Breen made a pleasing start at the five-star Longines Versilia Horse Show at Lido di Camaiore in Italy, when he placed sixth in Friday’s five-star Longines Stakes 1.50m Winning Round Grand Prix qualifier class, from a start list of 53. Fifteen combinations managed to make it through to the Winning Round, where eight jumped without penalty. Breen rode the 13-year-old home-bred gelding Scarteen to a clear round in 42.90 seconds second time out to claim sixth place. The class was won by Belgium’s Jerome Guery on the 14-year-old mare Killer Queen in a time of 40.29, with German riders Christian Ahlmann on Sheeran WL (40.98) and Sophie Hinners on Iron Dames Combella (41.07) placing second and third respectively.

Breen followed this up with a super runner-up finish in Sunday’s five-star Small Tour 1.45m speed class on board the 10-year-old mare BE Alcantara, when they completed a clear round in 62.53. They were only bettered by James Winter (GBR) on the 10-year-old mare Lollypop GPH, who stopped the clock in 62.26. The podium was completed by Italy’s Lorenzo Carreddu on Bruce FL, whose time of 65.04 was good enough for third place.