DOWN’S Conor Swail claimed a place on the podium in the five-star $340,000 1.60m Grand Prix at Desert International Horse Park in California on Saturday riding the talented Casturano. The class saw a start list of just 19 competing for the generous prize fund, with only eight of them keeping the fences intact in the first round and proceeding to the timed decider. Swail and his mount were among the four who completed without fault after round two, in a jump-off time of 39.04 seconds.

Mathijs van Asten (NED) took the win and the top prize of $102,000 with Hotspot in a time of 36.64, while Callie Schott (USA) on Uricas V/D Kattevennan were runners-up in 38.71 for a prize of $68,000. Swail pocketed $51,000 for third place.

Placings

The five-star Desert Circuit 3 was held at Thermal last week, where Swail secured a top-five finish in Wednesday’s five-star $1,000 1.40m two-phase class, when placing fifth on board Casturano. The pair were among 14 double clear rounds in the class from a start list of 23.

On Friday, Swail finished on the podium in the $24,999 1.40m Open Classic Series, when riding Kazelli VDL into third place with a double clear round in a jump-off time of 29.96. It was a close finish, with Martien van der Hoeven (USA) on Chance Encounter taking the win in 29.79, followed by Cassio Rivetti (BRA) on Golden Cygano Jap in second (29.81).

Meanwhile, James Chawke and Daido Van’T Ruytershof Z placed sixth in the day’s five-star $32,000 1.45m Classic in a class of 21, where just seven combinations jumped a clear first round to make it into the jump-off. The class was won by Canada’s Ali Ramsay on Bonita VH Keizershof Z.

Sunday’s $40,000 1.45m Open Classic saw Ireland’s Mark Finnerty ride Madagaskar into the runner-up position with a double clear round in a jump-off time of 34.06, less than half a second behind American winner Karrie Rufer on Stern Dei Folletti (33.62).