SIMON McCarthy won the three-star $32,000 1.45m speed class at the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival at Williamsburg in Michigan last Thursday riding Narcotique V/H Dingenshof. The pair set the pace as first in, jumping clear in a time of 60.60 to snatch the win from Charlotte Jacobs (USA) on Thomascourt Ballypatrick (ISH) (Balou Du Rouet (OLD) x Doctros Delight (ISH) by Indoctro (HOLST)), a 10-year-old gelding bred by Seamus Casey, who couldn’t quite match his time and finished a close second in 60.68.

McCarthy was clearly on a roll and, on Saturday, he won the $30,000 Traverse City National Grand Prix riding Gotcha. Their jump-off time of 39.01 seconds was fastest of the four double clear rounds, with Olivia Sweetnam (USA) in the runner-up spot with Capitola (39.42).

While he didn’t take a podium place in Sunday’s $117,000 Meijer Grand Prix, McCarthy still took home $11,700 for fourth place with Gaiete D’Elle. The win went to Daisy Farish (USA) on Etonemoi Del Cabalero, who won the top prize of $38,610.