THE winner of last Saturday’s round of the TRM/Show Jumpers Club Spring Grand Prix in Sceilig, Co Cork, was young rider Daisy McNamara. Riding her mother Martha’s Belgian-bred Caspetito Z, a gelding by Cassio Vh Sonnishof out of Zaire, by Hors La Loi II, she proved fastest in the 14-strong jump-off to secure the title and the lion’s share of the €2,500 prize fund.

Speaking about her winning mount, McNamara said: “He is a very willing, big horse with a huge stride. He will take correction and listen to you. He’s very smart and very honest.

“I had the chance to watch a good few go and make my plan for the jump-off. I think I made up some time coming back to the double. I rode well into the corner and gave myself space to turn back without losing momentum, which happened to others that turned back too tight. I knew I was up on the canter from the start. I got the nine strides from one to two, I got a nice turn after the double for a nice distance to the TRM vertical. I let him come home at a good pace and got a nice seven to the last. I know I can trust him.

“I did a few National and Premier Grands Prix last year, so my plan is to try to do well in those this season. I also have two nice youngsters to campaign alongside him. I have the eight-year-old mare Kilnamac Barbara (Cobra x Master Imp), bred by James J Ryan, which we bought from Tom Casey. Diarmuid Killeen broke her for us and he did a great job. I also have the seven-year-old gelding My O My Maximus (Bally Almighty x Haw Busted). We saw him competing at Clare Equestrian Centre in the 90cm and Dad liked him, so we took a chance on him. I’m looking forward to campaigning with them this year and try to qualify them for Dublin.”

The decider

Some 14 of the 28 starters provided a clear first round to progress to the timed decider. Two had a single time fault, 10 had one fence down, one had three down and one retired.

First to go in the decider was junior Bríd Ryan aboard her father Eugene’s eight-year-old mare GCS Jasmine (Cardento x Plot Blue), bred by Olivia Brennan. They matched their first round with a second clear in a time of 33.41, which was good enough for eventual fourth place.

The next two contenders, Liam O’Meara riding the Coffey’s seven-year-old Oldtown Presley (Balou De Rouet x Cruising) and Sven Hadley aboard Cian Harrison’s eight-year-old Lackaghmore Zirocco (Zirocco Blue x Cormint) both had a single fence down.

Isobel Sheehan and Zelda O’Callaghan’s Athena Clover Trend (Future Trend x Clover Clon VII) produced the next double clear, stopping the clock at 34.73 to finish just inside the money in sixth.

Robert Splaine ended up disappointed when he was eliminated with Sandra Devine’s Dutch-bred Laranco (Bustique x Garanco).

Darragh Ryan was disappointed with his own Belgian gelding As You Want Z (Atomic D’Ick x Calvaro), when notching up 10 faults.

Another owner/rider combination, Liam O’Meara and Cevann (Cevin Z x Kannan), were the third duo to remain fault-free. They crossed the finish in 32.16 to claim third place.

Kian Dore and Michael O’Sullivan’s home-bred eight-year-old WHS King Lincoln (Mr Lincoln B x Lux Z) were unlucky to have two on the ground.

Limestone Paddock’s Limestone Harley Time (Harlequin Du Carel x Try Time), bred by Timothy Ryan and ridden by Robyn Moran, had a single fence down, while Paul Beecher guided Mellissa Buttimer’s MJ Dufresne (Harley VDL x Indoctro) to a clear in 35.73 to slot into seventh place.

Robert Splaine and his second mount, his own and Story Horse Farm’s Coolcorron Lachlan (Goodluck VDL x Dicksgrove Colleen) left all the poles in place in 33.65 for fifth.

Sven Hadley and his own Maximum Numero Too HSH (Aganix Du Seigneur x Numero Uno) joined the four-faulters, as did Liam O’Meara and his own stallion Big Dan Du Rouet (Querlybet Hero x Harlequin Du Carel).

McNamara had the advantage of being last to go with Caspetito Z. They broke the finish beams in a very fast time of 30.34 for the win.

Hibernan League qualifier

Sven Hadley rode his own Eamon McArdle-bred eight-year-old gelding Maximum Numero Too HSH to the top spot in Saturday afternoon’s 1.25m Hibernian league qualifier two-phase.

A total of 23 combinations lined out for the competition, which saw 17 deliver a clear round in both phases.

Hadley was quickest in a second round time of 28.88, while the runner-up spot went to Kian Dore riding his father Carl’s seven-year-old Belgian stallion Tyfoon Donkhoeve (Cazan Van Het Schaeck Z x Jamal Vd Heffinck) in 30.78.

Paul Hourican’s Doonaveeragh Jack (Camiro De Haar Z x Le One) was guided into third place by Patrick Joyce in 31.43.

Saoirse Curran and Johnny Curran’s mare CBI Loughnatousa Khaleesi (Carrera VDL x Womanizer) slotted into fourth in 31.76, while Bill Maguire and his own stallion Fados Starry Night (Van Gogh x Laughtons Flight), bred by Hiram Wood Hennessey, finished fifth.

The sixth and final place went to Patrick Joyce aboard Ciara O’Regan’s Quidam Ollie (Quidam Junior I x Z Wellie 72) in 33.65.