CAMRYN Clarke won his first Premier Performance National Grand Prix in Mullingar last Saturday. Riding his mother Victoria’s Conto De Reve, the Cavan-based young rider proved best in the 47 combination-strong 1.40m class.

By Hermes De Reve out of Odessa IV by Conto, the gelding was bred by Noleen Kieran. The duo are enjoying a good run of form as they head to the Dublin Horse Show having won the 1.35m in Balmoral just a few weeks earlier.

Speaking about his mount, Clarke said: “He’s a lovely horse to deal with. He lights up a little when he is in the ring, he’s very blood then, but he’s easy in every other way.

“I have a six-year-old and an eight-year-old for Dublin this week. I’m kind of sorry he (Conto De Reve) isn’t coming, because he’s been going so well. He won in Balmoral, was second in Millstreet and now a win in Mullingar, but I suppose a bit of a rest will do him no harm.

“I’m doing the young rider 1.40m with an eight-year-old of Jordan Coyle’s named Miracle Es, then I have a six-year-old, also owned by Jordan, for the age class named Diamond Candy Hill.

“My dad and Jordan have been friends a long time and one day he asked me if I would ride a horse of his and it grew from there. That’s two or three years ago and now I have a good few horses for him.

“It’s great, because it allows me to produce young horses and do the age classes with them; and it works for him because they get the experience before heading to him in the States, ready to do the bigger classes.

“I have about 10 horses in work at the moment, from three-year-olds up, so that keeps me busy. I did my Leaving Certificate last June so at the moment, I’m able to concentrate on horses full-time.”

Just eight of the original 47 starters produced a first-round clear to progress to the jump-off. Two missed out by the narrowest of margins collecting a single time fault, while 10 had one fence on the ground for four faults.

Pathfinder

Jack Brennan was pathfinder in the decider aboard his mother Sinead’s eight-year-old home-bred mare MHS Versace (Luidam x Obos Quality). A single fence down in a time of 40.51 left them out of the placings in seventh.

Next to go, Lt Raphael Lee with the Minister for Defence’s Glengarra Wood (Capitalist x Cavalier Clover Lad) produced the first double clear round, stopping the clock at 39.98 for eventual third place.

Matthew Morrison was third to go riding his family’s gelding Quebec De. Another foot-perfect round in 40.03 saw them capture fourth place.

Harriet Penfold and her own eight-year-old Dutch-bred gelding M.Bulisina left all the poles in place breaking the finish beams in a fast time of 38.80, which would be good enough to see them take the runner-up spot.

Drumiller Vegas (Cardento x Rockhill Clover), bred by Paul Dillon, owned and ridden by Niamh O’Connor Barry, were unlucky to have one fence down in 40.35 to finish just inside the money in sixth.

Lt Michaeli Byrne and the Minister’s Derrycush (Emerald Van’t Ruytershof x Aldato), bred by Alfie Hillen, also had one fence on the ground for four faults, which saw them out of the placings.

Clarke and Conto de Reve had the advantage of being the penultimate pair in. An accurate well-considered clear round in 37.23 shot them to the top spot with just one rider to go.

That rider was the vastly experienced Francis Connors with his own John Warner-bred mare Carrigshawn Vendi Royal (Dondoctro Ryal K x Ars Vivendi). They left all the fences intact, but in a slower time of 40.17 for fifth place.

The next, and 14th, round of the 16-round Premier Performance National Grand Prix league takes place in Hollypark on Saturday, August 23rd, with the penultimate round taking place in Kernans the following day.