ATHLONE’S Francis Derwin is in fine form at the moment and he currently has 10 horses from Cian O’Connor’s Karlswood Stables to ride in Florida. Confidence in his abilities is clearly well-placed, as he won Friday’s two-star $32,000 1.45m Grand Prix qualifier at the four-star show at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, which ran from January 14th until 18th, when riding his own Gospel Tame to a double clear round in a jump-off time of 37.72 seconds. There were 52 starters in the class and only nine of them jumped clear in the first round to secure a place in the timed decider.
Derwin’s nearest rival was Hunter Holloway (USA) on Koblenz, who finished almost two seconds behind in 39.50 to take the runner-up spot. Coyle and Montevideo VDL placed ninth when picking up faults in the jump-off.
“Gospel is 10 years old now. He’s been produced very well. Cian has had him since he was five,” said Derwin after his win.
“I am very happy to have a great team of horses here. Thanks to Cian for trusting me with them. I am here for the whole circuit and have 10 horses here.
“I came last winter to watch for just that night, and when Cian suggested coming here next winter, I straight away said yes. It’s an unbelievable place to be. I just think the place itself is unbelievable. There’s no place else in the world like it. I’ve never seen anything else, and it’s a great place for the horses.”
Top 10
Derry’s Daniel Coyle got off the mark with a seventh place in Wednesday’s two-star $1,000 1.35m two-phase class riding Montevideo VDL, with a double clear round in 33.38, while David Blake and Conblue finished 10th in the day’s four-star $1,000 1.40m two-phase class, when double clear in 41.81.
The four-star $32,000 1.45m speed class saw three Irish combinations in the top 10, with Robert Blanchette on Chardonnay on the podium in third, Jonathan Corrigan on Darius de Kerglenn in fifth and Shane Sweetnam on Gilona AO in joint eighth place. Meanwhile, Blanchette won the $1,000 1.35m class with Julius Caesar II S.
Thursday’s two-star $32,000 1.45m speed class saw Corrigan and Nadal VD Wateringhoeve finishing joint eighth, while Sweetnam steered Rural Juror SCF into sixth place in the four-star $117,000 1.50m Grand Prix qualifier, which was won by Israel’s Daniel Bluman riding Gemma W.
Darragh Kerins and RSK Quality Cruise placed sixth in the day’s $1,500 1.45m class, while Derwin rode Marble Arch into 10th place in the $1,000 1.35m class.
The four-star $32,000 1.45m Winning Round class on Friday saw two Irish men among the five double clear rounds - Sweetnam finished third on board Gilona AO (45.50), while Corrigan on Hasting de Kerglenn placed fifth (50.99). McLain Ward (USA) won the class with Le Louvre 5 (44.85).
Derwin placed sixth with Lambada Shake AG in the $1,500 1.40m class, while Kerins and RSK Quality Cruise finished 10th in the day’s $15,000 1.40m Welcome Prix and followed up with a seventh place in Saturday’s $15,000 1.45m Jumper Classic.
Saturday’s four-star $32,000 1.45m speed class saw Blake ride Gucci Des Embruns into fourth place, with Corrigan and Hasting De Kerglenn not far behind in sixth.
The Irish were out of luck in the day’s four-star $200,000 1.55m Grand Prix, with Blanchette and Coyle finishing just outside the top 10. Blanchette placed 11th on Chardonnay, just ahead of Coyle on Farrel in 12th place.
Sunday saw Corrigan ride Tricolor MB into seventh place in the two-star $65,000 1.45m Grand Prix, which had 39 starters, to conclude the show for the Irish.