SHANE Breen emerged as the winner of the four-star 1.45m speed class at the Le Lame Horses Sporting Club in Montefalco, Italy, last Saturday, when he jumped clear with Be Alcantara in a time of 63.67. The start list for this class boasted 65 combinations, and concluded with three Irish athletes among the narrowly divided top 11.

Derry’s David Simpson finished fourth with Pjotr Van De Kruishoeve, less than a second off Breen’s unbeatable time, while Billy Twomey finished ninth on Corrindubh Brother In Arms in 65.63.

Twomey had already achieved a strong result with this nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse by Sligo Candy Boy earlier in the week, when placing fifth of 55 starters in Thursday’s 1.45m two-phase class, and was also in the money in Friday’s €57,000 four-star 1.50m jump-off class, this time riding Ace Of Hearts Z. There were 10 double clears here from 66 starters, and Germany’s David Will and Qualido M set a blistering pace of 37.59, which couldn’t be caught. Twomey’s time of 40.87 was good enough for sixth place.