VILJA’S Cornet Ballet Queen was guided to victory by Jack Ryan in last Saturday’s lucrative 1.40m Plusvital Grand Prix worth €10,000 at the Hughes Horse Show.

This win followed on from Ryan’s result the previous day when he captured the feature class aboard Cornascriebe Emerald. By Cornet Obolensky out of a Balou Du Rouet dam, Vilja’s Cornet Ballet Queen is jointly-owned by Emma Horgan and Mikey Pender.

Following the win Ryan told The Irish Field: “We are delighted with the win in what was a tricky and competitive class. She is a big mare and, for a 10-year-old, she hasn’t got that much done. I was in Arezzo with her at the start of the year and she jumped very well there. She then went on to finish third in the 1.40m Grand Prix in Garranemore a couple of weeks ago. She is coming on all the time.

“I think I made up some time at the second last line; it was a normal six, but because she has such a big stride and is a rangy, scopey mare, she did it in five. I’ll take her to Cavan and try a Premier with her and see how that goes.”

Ryan added: “Cornascriebe Emerald, who won the seven and eight-year-olds on Friday, I’ve had since he was a foal.

"He jumped the ranking Grand Prix the first week in Mullingar and jumped very well and got a lot of experience there. I think he could be a very good horse.”

Thirteen of the 51 starters managed to produce a clear round over the first phase of the Alan Wade-designed track. Drawn midway through the class, Ryan knew he had to catch the target set by Army rider Commdt Geoff Curran, who set the pace when clocking a time of 36.16.

He managed to slice almost a second and a half off that time, breaking the finish beams in 34.87, demoting Curran and Tempo Manor (Sligo Candy Boy x Lux Z), bred by Noel Wright, to the runner-up spot. Third place went to Jason Foley riding Chedington Equestrian’s Casia Z in 36.39. Vera Griffin’s ever-reliable gelding Cushlas Fryday (Hector Van D’Abdijhoeve x Apache D’Adriers) took fourth place in 39.72 with Robyn Moran.

Moran also captured fifth place aboard her second mount, Fortside Clever Candy (Sligo Candy Boy x Lux Z), for owner Fortside Farms and breeder Brian O’Malley. Dermott Lennon completed the line-up in sixth place riding Bronte Stables’ Millview Cicero (Cicero Z Van Paemel x Oklund).

Home win

Mikey Pender ensured a win for the home-side of HHS Stud, when he and his own Nando Quality took first place in the WOW Trading 1.30m Mini Grand Prix on Saturday morning.

Having the advantage of being last to go in the 66-strong field, the duo stopped the clock in a time of 30.91 for the win and the lion’s share of €3,000.

Ballypatricks’s Leah Stack finished runner-up riding Claire McDonnell’s home-bred mare Rose Marie in 32.13. By Diamant De Semilly, she is out of the Army Equitation School’s successful Cruising mare Mo Chroí. Molly Hughes Bravo partnered the home-bred HHS Mercedes (Can Ya Makan x Couletto) into third in 32.49. Fourth place went to Dermott Lennon with his wife Sandra’s seven-year-old CMG Winchester (Kannan x Lux Z), who was bred by Conrad McGuinness.

Four-year-old championship

The John Hughes MRCVS four-year-old championship, supported by DAFM and HSI, was judged by Michael Hutchinson and Gavin Sheridan and saw a strong starting field of 30. Winning by a substantial margin on a score of 114 points was Ennisnag Stud’s mare Croia Royal. By Mendoza VDL, she is out of DSL Nutella (Ard Golden Crisp) and was bred by Michael Reilly and ridden by Shane Dalton.

Second place on a score of 109 was divided between the GBBS and Ivy Coast-owned and bred BP Ivycoast (Rock ‘N’ Roll Ter Putte x VDL Arkansas) with Conor McMahon in the saddle, and Paul Lynch riding Mikey Pender’s home-bred Madgeslane Prince (Pegase Van’T Ruytershof x Dignified Vant Zorgvliet) also on 109 points.