GALWAY’S Michael Duffy was in fine form when securing two top-five placings at the five-star World Cup fixture at Arcadia in California over the weekend. Following a fifth-place finish on Wednesday, Duffy then finished on the podium in Thursday’s five-star $100,000 1.50m Welcome jump-off class, when steering the nine-year-old gelding BE Sky Hawk into third place.
Of the 57 starters, just 10 kept all the poles intact in the first round, but three combinations withdrew, leaving just seven in the jump-off - six of whom jumped clear again. Duffy’s jump-off time of 37.13 was just shy of Nina Mallevaey (FRA) on Dynastie de Beaufour in second (37.08), with Gregory Wathelet (BEL) on Argentina de la Marchette taking the win in 36.59.
Placings
A five-star World Cup Show was held at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California last week, with Irish riders getting off to a good start in Wednesday’s five-star $35,000 1.45m two-phase class. From the large start list of 82, there were 29 first-round clears, who got the chance to jump again. Nineteen combinations kept a clean sheet second time out, with time being the deciding factor. Mathijs van Asten (NED) on Orlando van de Afspanning was the definite winner, stopping the clock in 25.70, over a second and a half ahead of next best Nicole Walker (CAN) on Atout des Trambles in second (27.26), with Laura Kraut (USA) on Lady D completing the podium in third (27.59). Michael Duffy on Chili Pepper HMZ placed fifth in the class in 27.73, while Cian O’Connor and Pegasus slotted into eighth place in 28.52.
Friday saw a five-star $35,000 1.45m speed challenge being held, which attracted 41 starters - 10 of whom kept a clean sheet. James Chawke was best of the Irish here, finishing second with his reliable partner Daido van’t Ruytershof Z, when clear in 59.46. The class was won by Canada’s Erynn Ballard on Her Game Ball BG just over half a second ahead in 58.93, while Germany’s Richard Vogel rode Con Quality into third place in 60.26.
The five-star $40,000 1.50m two-round class saw 48 starters, with just seven jumping clear within the time allowed in round one. Just three of these remained fault-free in round two to deserve the podium places. Jessica Springsteen (USA) won the class riding Naomi van het Keizershof in 43.93, ahead of fellow American Natalie Dean on Pedro van de Barlebuis in 46.03 in second place and Australia’s Hilary Scott on Lola in third (46.86). Chawke finished just outside the top 10 with Daido van’t Ruytershof in 11th.
World Cup
The $400,000 1.60m Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Los Angeles was held on Saturday afternoon and saw no Irish riders in the top 10. The 40 starters were whittled down to just seven for the jump-off, with one of those opting to retire. Of the six who remained, two incurred faults, leaving four who completed double clear rounds.
The best of these was McLain Ward (USA) on High Star Hero in a jump-off time of 33.99, followed by Richard Vogel (GER) on Gangster Montdesir in second (34.39) and Nina Mallevaey (FRA) on Dynastie de Beaufour in third (34.73). Laura Kraut and Bisquetta completed the fourth double clear, but finished off the podium in fourth (36.02).
Conor Swail and the nine-year-old ISH stallion Clonterm Obolensky (Cornet Obolensky x Lux Z), bred by Brian Duff in Ashbourne, Co Meath and owned by Oliver Glancy, were out of luck on this occasion, when four faults in the first round ruled them out of the jump-off. However, Swail did enough to retain his lead in the overall standings on 41 points after earning a few during the fourth leg of the North American League.
Ward sits second on 36, followed by Kraut in third on 33. Daniel Coyle, although not competing at the weekend, sits fifth. The NAL resumes at Thermal on January 31st. Meanwhile, the points earned by Vogel move him to the top of the Western European League on 36 points.