MEATH’S Cian O’Connor secured a podium finish and a very nice prize pot in Thursday’s 31-strong five-star 1.50m jump-off class at the Mexico Fall Tour fixture at San Miguel de Allende in Mexico, when he rode Emeraldo 4 into third place with a double clear round in a jump-off time of 39.83.
Ten combinations jumped clear in the first round to book their place in the jump-off, where only four managed to keep all the poles intact the second time. It was a very close finish and O’Connor and Emeraldo 4 took home $12,510 for third place, behind the class winner John Perez Bohn (COL) on Gigi-Carmen (39.43) and runner-up Luis Pedro Biraben (ARG) on Georgia De Carles (39.81). O’Connor also placed 10th with his Aga Khan Nations Cup mount Bentley De Sury.
Worthwhile trip
The five-star Mexico Fall Tour fixture was held at San Miguel de Allende from October 8th to 12th and O’Connor certainly made his trip worthwhile, with some impressive results.
Friday saw O’Connor ride Pegasus into fourth place in the two-star 1.45m special two-phase class, when double clear in a phase two time of 36.11. It was a one-two for Chile’s Samuel Parot, who won the class with Buga Z (34.66) and was second with David Guetta (34.91).
On Saturday, O’Connor placed sixth in the five-star 1.60m Grand Prix riding Kentucky TN, picking up four faults in the first round, which precluded them from the jump-off.
Of the 20 starters, only two jumped clear in round one, with Mexico’s fan favourite Federico Fernandez and Romeo the deserving winners as the only combination to jump double clear.
O’Connor was back on the scoreboard on Sunday, with another sixth place with Kentucky TN, this time in the five-star 1.50m two-phase special class. The pair were among six double clear rounds out of 24 starters, where they clocked a second-phase time of 37.02. Samuel Parot (CHI) was the clear winner with Tiffany De Olid in a very fast 30.26.
Two-star Grand Prix win
The Meath man wasn’t done yet though and then won the two-star 1.45m Grand Prix with Susan Magnier’s eight-year-old grey gelding Pegasus.
Seventeen of the 40 starters jumped clear in round one with seven of them remaining clear in round two. O’Connor’s time of 38.66 was the fastest to win the class and conclude a very lucrative show, ahead of runner-up Brazil’s Bruno Cavalheiro Rebello on Quite Elvis VE (39.33) and third-placed John Perez Bohm (COL) on Lareusa S (39.81).