GALWAY native Cathal Daniels had a perfect start to his National summer season when he took first and second place in the Premier Performance National Grand Prix in his home county last Bank Holiday Monday.

Daniels secured the top spot riding his own 14-year-old gelding Cappog Tomy (Camiro De Haar Z x S Creevagh Ferro Ex Siebe), bred by Tommy Reilly. He captured second place aboard his own eight-year-old mare Ardragh Lucky Lass (Sligo Candy Boy x Guidam), bred by Oliver Ward.

Speaking after the win Daniels said: “We were in the Sunshine Tour in February where he jumped in the Big Tour and placed in the four-star Grand Prix there, and jumped well in a few ranking classes also.

“He had a few handy weeks after that. I didn’t do the Spring Tour with him and then we are just gearing up now for a few busy weeks ahead.

“It was just really meant to be a bit of a warm-up to get him out and it turned out to be a little bit more than that when we got there…

“I already had one in the jump-off, my young horse, and then him as well; it turned out to be a very good day.

“The show was very well-run, and there was big jumping. There were not a lot of clears. I didn’t get to watch a lot of the jump-off because I was first and last to go, but I heard there were some problems in the jump-off as well.

“The horse that was second jumped in the Sunshine Tour as well, but is still quite green. She hadn’t done many rounds against the clock, so I was really pleased with her.

“We have Barnadown next weekend and then we are jumping in Balmoral and then Mullingar International, so a busy month of jumping.

“Ardragh Lucky Lass only started competing last year, as a seven -year-old, so she is very inexperienced. She has come a long way in a short time; she was only jumping 1m in March last year. I’m hoping to qualify her for Dublin, that’s the plan anyway. She came to it late, but she’s a quick learner and I think an awful lot of her.

“The yard is pretty much split 50/50 between event horses and show jumpers. It’s hard work to manage the calendar. If I’m not eventing on a Saturday, I’m jumping, and if I’m not jumping on a Sunday, I’m eventing.

“We did run horses in Tyrella and Ballindenisk and did well there. I’m very lucky I have some very nice horses for both eventing and jumping. When you have good quality horses for both it’s very nice. It’s hectic, but it’s great.

“I’m jumping in Balmoral Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and then eventing in Hazeldene on Saturday; it’s full on.”

Strong field

A start list of 28 was reduced to just seven for the timed decider over the challenging 1.40m track. Four combinations chose to retire in round one, eight had one fence down for four faults, while four more had two down and the remaining notched up 12 faults or more.

Daniels, with two horses qualified for the jump-off, elected to be pathfinder aboard Ardragh Lucky Lass and set the pace with a second clear round in a time of 42.51.

Wesley Ryan and Tiger Balou (Balou du Rouet x Cardento) were second to go. An error at the first fence, as well as at the second part of the double and the second last left them on a score of 12 and in seventh place.

Young rider Timmy Brennan and Coblue PS (Cornet Obolensky x Chacco-Blue), bred by Paul Schockemöhle, posted a second clear round as the next to go. Theirs coming in 42.80 for eventual third place.

Damien Griffin and his own eight-year-old Kilnamac Louis (OBOS Quality 004 x Lux Z), bred by James J Ryan, collected four faults at the second part of the double to finish on four in 46.89 and fifth place.

Winners of the previous day’s 1.35m class, Francis Derwin and the Dutch-bred Leonardo (I’m Special De Muze x Voltaire), were unlucky to have a pole down at the penultimate fence in a very fast time of 40.32 to slot into fourth place as the fastest four-faulter.

Paddy Reape then rode his father Jonathan’s Rocky Blue (Chacoon Blue x Artos Z), bred by George McCullough, into sixth place having had two fences down in 41.50.

Last to go was Daniels with his second mount Cappog Tomy. Already in the lead with his other horse in a time of 42.51 it was just a matter of bettering himself, which is exactly what he did crossing the finish line in 40.40, over two seconds faster to take the victory.

The next round of the Premier Performance Grand Prix league takes place today May 10th in Barnadown, Co Wexford.