GALWAY’S Michael Duffy was best of 58 starters in the three-star Final Gold 3 1.45m jump-off class at Oliva in Spain on Saturday, when he rode the 11-year-old gelding Loui LN, owned by Stephex Stables, to a double clear round in a jump-off time of 40.59.

Just eight combinations jumped clear within the allocated time in the first round to proceed to the jump-off, where only four recorded double clear rounds. Duffy was fastest of the four, finishing less than a quarter of a second ahead of Sweden’s Petronella Andersson on Ollister du Lys (40.83) in second place, with Lorenzo de Luca (ITA) placing third on board Denver de Talma (42.92). Jenny Rankin placed 10th with Cool Motion after two time penalties in round one ruled them out of the jump-off.

On form

Week two of the Autumn Mediterranean Equestrian Tour at Oliva in Spain ran from Tuesday until Sunday with a number of Irish riders in attendance.

Rankin was among the joint winners of Tuesday’s six-year-old 1.25m class riding both Conthaloubo PS and Onyx SLF and also in the seven-year-old 1.35m class riding Calido’s Santos PS, while Harold Megahey was among those who jumped clear in the five-year-old 1.15m class on both Uppercut 111 and Quel Honneur vh Distelhof Z, accompanied by Caoimhe Spacey on FWS Run of the River.

Megahey and Uppercut 111 then placed joint sixth in the MET Young Horse Champions Trophy for five-year-olds on Wednesday.

Thursday’s Silver 1 1.25m class saw Anna Carway on Baskin Sunny Diamond finish in ninth place with a clear round in 65.85, while in Friday’s Gold 3 1.40m class, Robert Splaine placed eighth with Laranco.

Zoe Keys and Luana finished on the podium in Friday’s Silver 1 1.30m class, when they recorded a time of 62.34 for third place out of 42 starters. Belgian riders took a one-two in the class, with Estelle Gerard on Cunenvio EB claiming first place in 60.87, followed very closely by Lies Malisart on Calasca 4 in second (60.91).

In the day’s 85-strong Bronze 2 1.20m class, Annie Gibson rode Cascum Urastar into eighth place when clear in 62.64.

Jenny McBride and Nadal placed fifth in Saturday’s Bronze 3 1.30m class from a start list of 68, while the Bronze 1 1.10m class saw Caroline Gibson on Clintendro finishing on the podium in third, followed by Dylan Barrett on China Man in fifth. Keys and Luana were back on the podium in the day’s Silver 1 1.30m class, when their clear round in 60.80 was good enough for third place.

Sunday’s 45-strong Bronze Tour Final 1.40m jump-off class saw Aisling Byrne finish as runner-up on board Cnoc Rua Chinook in a jump-off time of 39.98, only being beaten by Isabella Tooth (GBR) on Hanson in 39.49.

Barrett and China Man came out on top of the day’s Bronze 1 1.10m two-phase class with a double clear in 27.58, while in the Bronze 2 1.20m class, Gibson placed ninth with Clintendro.

Meanwhile, the Gold 1 1.30m jump-off class saw Splaine ride Coolcorron Lachlan into ninth place of 33 starters.