BRITON Rachel Proudley and the Irish-bred mare Quality Street won last Sunday’s feature competition, the 1.45m international Grand Prix ranking class at the first week of the CSI2* in Mullingar.

Sadly, the excellent spell of weather broke and riders and spectators at Mullingar got plenty of drenchings over the weekend, however, the new initiative of a two-week tour went down well with competitors, most of whom stayed to compete this weekend.

Based at Irish international rider Richard Howley and Morgan Kent’s HK Stables in Wetherby, England for the past 18 months, this is Proudley’s biggest win since earning the Speed Horse of the Year crown at the Horse of the Year Show last October aboard Petitfour VD Wareslage.

Speaking afterwards to The Irish Field she said: “We’re delighted with the win. We came over for the Balmoral show and it suited us to stay on for Mullingar.

“We did the RDS qualifiers in The Meadows with two seven-year-olds, HK Stakkata (Stakkato Gold x Heartbreaker) and the Dutch-bred Next Quabri, as well as the eight-year-old Happy du Thot, who won the 1.40m two-phase on the opening day in Mullingar.

“I just missed out on qualifying HK Stakkata, who jumped double clear. It was a good experience for them and we may get another chance to try to qualify, we will just have to wait and see how it works with our schedule.

“Mullingar is a terrific show. The staff there could not be more helpful. We are staying on to compete in the second week, so fingers crossed we can keep up the good results.”

Proudley added: “Quality Street is a super mare. She is probably my main horse for the big classes now. She is such a trier, she just wants to clear every fence. She isn’t the biggest horse, but she really covers the ground. We made a plan for the jump-off and we stuck to it, so thankfully it worked out.”

The challenging track set by Spanish course designer Javier Trenor Paz meant a start list of 50 combinations was reduced to just nine for the jump-off.

Proudley proved fastest of these, stopping the clock at 42.65 to secure the win and the lion’s share of the €28,200 prize fund.

The runner-up spot went to Lt Michaeli Byrne riding the Minister for Defence’s 10-year-old mare MSH Claregalway (Cornet Obolensky x Acrobat II), who was bred by Niall and John Mullins, in 44.35.

The home-bred Ladycastle Paco (Pacino x Nabab de Reve) was guided into third place by Nicholas Butler in 44.95 for the owner/breeder Ladycastle Syndicate. Jason Foley and Ellie Guy Equestrian’s Belgian-bred mare Casia Z (Cascadello I x Crown Z) took fourth place in 44.98.

Fifth place went to Sean Monaghan and Mandy Hall’s Catwalk IV x Kannan stallion Toyger in 48.57. Coolmore showjumping’s Dutch-bred mare I’m Here (Carambole x Numero Uno), with Tom Wachman in the saddle, completed the line-up in sixth place as the fastest four-faulter in a very quick time of 40.15.