CO Mayo’s Cormac Hanley got off to a good start for Ireland at week three of the summer schedule at the World Equestrian Centre at Ocala in Florida last week, when he finished as runner-up in Wednesday’s two-star $1,000 1.40m two-phase special class riding Rockstar. At four-star level, Robert Blanchette rode Coupis into fifth place in the $32,000 1.45m speed class from 26 starters, while Declan Egan finished seventh in the day’s $1,500 1.40m class with Cerlino.

Hanley had an impressive three in the top five in Thursday’s $1,500 1.40m Jumper class, placing second with For Dad, third with Icarronne-S and fifth with Urado SV.

Hanley’s form continued into Friday when he placed two horses in the top 10 of the two-star $32,000 1.45m Grand Prix qualifier; he rode Rockstar into seventh place and Cornerado VDL into ninth. Egan placed eighth in the day’s $1,000 1.35m Jumper class on board Goliath De L’Eldorado.

Saturday’s four-star $185,000 Florida Coast Grand Prix did not see Irish riders in the placings, but Irish-bred horses made their mark. The 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Legaland Sandro (Sandro Boy (OLD) out of Drumiller Digital (ISH) by Clinton (HOLST)), bred by Joe Reilly in Co Cavan, was ridden to a podium finish by Brazilian, Gabriel De Matos Machado, who placed third of the 25 starters, after jumping one of just three double clear rounds in the class.

Another Irish Sport Horse, 12-year-old gelding Kinmar Quality Hero (OBOS Quality 004 (OLD) out of Magician Hero (ISH) by Moujik De Sohan (SBS)), bred by Gerrard Marron, placed fifth under Tanner Korotkin (USA).