Two-star Sentower win for Daniel Fitzgerald

THE two-star show at Sentower Park, Opglabbeek in Belgium saw Daniel Fitzgerald come to the fore in Saturday’s two-star 1.45m two-phase special class riding Grifondor de Rouet to claim first place in the 56-strong class. The pair jumped double clear in a phase two time of 31.33 seconds to get the better of runner-up Niklas Betz (GER) on Million Dollar Baby (31.41). Another Irish man, Eoin McMahon also finished on the podium in third place on board Disney Z, also double clear in a time of 32.00. Bertram Allen placed eighth in the class with Kadans (33.80).

Fitzgerald was on a roll and also won the Young Horse one-star seven and eight-year-old 1.30/1.35m jump-off class with the eight-year-old mare Fleuriske Z, when they finished double clear in a jump-off time of 29.22.

Coen Williams secured a top 10 finish with Ibiza du Barquetin in Friday’s Young Horse one-star seven and eight-year-old 1.30/1.35m two-phase special class, when they jumped double clear to place 10th of the 66 on the start list. Fitzgerald then took seventh place in the two-star 1.35m two-phase class riding a double clear with Grifondor du Rouet.

Saturday’s one-star 1.25m speed class saw Michael G Duffy on CSF Andrew finish 10 of the 69 starters, when they jumped clear in a time of 71.77. Sunday saw Allen ride Akarad Tivoli Z into ninth place in the 55-strong two-star 1.45m Grand Prix to conclude the show for the Irish.

Lynch on Liege podium

THE four-star fixture at Liege in Belgium ran from last Wednesday until Sunday, with two Irish representatives - Denis Lynch and Sarah Lynch.

Denis finished on the podium in Thursday’s 58-strong four-star Big Tour 1.45m speed class, when he placed third with the 10-year-old mare Katja, clocking a time of 60.07 seconds. Swiss rider Niklaus Rutschi on Oxana Vd Bisschop won the class in 58.25, just ahead of Jerome Guery (BEL) on Gigolo’Di Villagana (58.61).

Saint Lo place for Norris

AT the four-star show at Saint Lo in France, Ireland’s Killian Norris rode Passe Partout into seventh place in the four-star 1.50m jump-off class. Of the 44 starters, just six jumped clear in the first round to proceed to the jump-off, where four of them managed to remain clear. France’s Dylan Levallois won the class with Brasilia De L’Abbaye with a double clear round in a time of 39.41. Norris was the fastest of the four-faulters from round one.

Irish placed in Holland

THE three-star show at Leeuwarden in The Netherlands saw five Irish riders in attendance. The Small Tour 1.40m speed class saw Conan Wright finish fourth of the 33 starters on board Litmanen, when they jumped clear in 62.02 seconds. The top three places went to Dutch riders, with the best of these being Manon Hees riding Prinses van het Keizershof, with a time of 60.55.

Wright and Litmanen then placed sixth in Saturday’s equivalent, this time jumping clear in 56.76. Hessel Hoekstra (NED) won this 36-strong class riding Madonna clear in a time of 53.09.

Howley and Duff placed

THE two-star Danube Champions Tour October took place at Samorin in Slovakia at the end of last week and Anna Duff on TMS Pienaar finished joint seventh of 65 starters in Saturday’s Youngster Tour 1.30/1.35m six and seven-year-old final. Meanwhile, Richard Howley and Emoraldi-Terma Z placed fifth in the day’s Medium Tour 1.25m class.

Howley and Emoraldi-Terma Z went on to finish on the podium in Sunday’s Medium Tour 1.30m final, when they finished in third place out of 69 starters.

Tryon win for Blake

DAVID Blake claimed the top spot in last Wednesday’s $6,000 1.40m two-phase class at the two-star Tryon Fall 6 show, when he rode Fayuri to outdo his 37 rivals in the class. The pair jumped clear in a phase two time of 32.85.

Blake then placed fourth in Thursday’s $32,000 Welcome Stake class on board Gucci Des Embruns, followed by Richie Moloney on Coco Beach in ninth. Saturday saw Blake and Fayuri take fifth place in the 6,000 1.45m speed stake class.