CORK’S Shane Sweetnam and the very consistent 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding James Kann Cruz, bred by Patrick Connolly, continued their recent run of good form, when taking sixth place in the five-star 1.60m Rolex Grand Prix Ville de Dinard. The finale of the five-star fixture at the French venue (July 30th to August 2nd) saw a start list of 41 lining up to compete for a generous prize fund of €500,000.

The clock just beat Sweetnam and his mount, as they picked up a single time penalty in the first round to preclude them from jumping again. Just four combinations jumped clear within the time first time out and, with one withdrawal from the jump-off, three contested the podium positions.

Belgium’s Pieter Devos and Primo DV completed double clear in a jump-off time of 47.42 to take first place, ahead of Germany’s Christian Ahlmann on Sheeran WL in second (49.08) and Austria’s Max Kuhner and the 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding EIC Cooley Jump The Q, bred by Pam Walshe, clocked the fastest time of 44.92, but it came at a cost and four faults put them in third place.

Placings

Thursday’s one-star 1.10m two-phase special class saw Aisling Byrne and Supreme Action place 10th with a double clear round in a phase two time of 41.25, while in the day’s one-star 1.20m two-phase special, Olivia Ann Nell and Cinca 3 placed 10th when double clear in 49.59.

In Friday’s one-star 1.15m speed class, Aisling Byrne and Supreme Action took third place when clear in a time of 65.83. Nell and Cinca 3 recorded another 10th place finish in the day’s one-star 1.25m speed class, with a clear round in 80.83.

The five-star 1.55m jump-off class on Friday afternoon saw Sweetnam and James Kann Cruz finish in equal 10th place, when they were among 11 to jump clear in the first round, but opted not to jump again - as did Max Kuhner (AUT) on EIC Cooley Jump The Q. Byrne and Supreme Action finished eighth in Saturday’s one-star 1.15m jump-off class. They were among 15 combinations to make it through to the jump-off, but picked up four faults second time out.

Meanwhile, Nell and Cinca 3 finished on the podium in the day’s one-star 1.25m jump-off class, with a double clear round in 45.43. Sunday’s one-star 1.40m Grand Prix saw Byrne finish just off the podium in fourth place on board Real Ohlala, when they were among five to book a place in the jump-off, but picked up an unfortunate four faults. Ireland’s Frederick Goltz on Mr Malibu TN placed sixth after incurring two time penalties in round one, which ruled them out of jumping again.