ON Sunday, 18 combinations battled it out in the £3,000 Grand Prix at Eglinton’s Northern Indoor Championships. The class went down to the wire, with seven combinations booking their place to jump off against the clock.

Sven Hadley was keen to make his presence felt and he delivered the all-important clear with the Hibernia Horses-owned Elka De La Pomme in 43.41. This 13-year-old is by Caretano and out of the Kannan-sired dam, Volte De La Roque.

All eyes were on John McEntee and he didn’t disappoint, as he put in a great performance with Freddy Bear and delivered a clear in 30.28 seconds. Next to go, Daniel Coyle shaved fractions off this time, stopping the clock with nothing to add in 30.26 aboard Gisborne VDL to claim another victory and, as a result, demoted McEntee into second place once more and Hadley into third.

Lucy Morton put in a fast time with the Hibernia-owned Balou’s Penny PS, clocking 30.34, but it came at a price as they had one on the ground and had to settle for fourth place. Jonathan Smyth was back in the line-up, taking fifth with Mr Kannan Ball, when they finished with four faults in 31.96. Paul Caves finished with two on the floor with his own Cafre Quality Clover in 39.33 for sixth place.

Speed challenge

On Saturday, the 1.25m speed championship saw 29 combinations take up the challenge, with 15 of the original starters delivering clears. Taking this win was Katie Scott and Loughehoe Rebel, when they came home in a time of 41.60. Bred by Christy Fogarty and owned by the Scott family, the gelding is by Ricardo Z and out of the Loughehoe Guy-sired dam Watervalley Loughahoe Down.

Scott was chased home by speed merchant Sven Hadley, who was fractions behind with the John Deegan-owned Machnus Lux, in a time of 41.68. Young rider Lucy Morton didn’t hang around with the Maureen Moore-owned, Cassclo Beach, and their time of 42.41 saw them take third place. Fourth place belonged to John McEntee and the eight-year-old MH Naughty Girl, when they stopped the clock in 44.70. Young rider Ben Walsh and Creamcorde HDH were fractions behind in 44.81 for fifth. Completing the top six was Lucy Sullivan and Brackenstown Billy, with a clear in 46.16.

On Sunday, the Goudie Transport, Simon Scott, Ian Millar and Craig Haylage-sponsored Open Championship saw a win for Sven Hadley, when he partnered the Hibernia Horses-owned Elka De La Pomme to a clear in 35.83. His closest rival was Kady Abrahamson, who partnered Daniel Coyle’s Stracomers Casall to a clear in 38.76. Hadley returned to take third with his own Maximum Numero Too HSH (8yo), when he kept all the poles standing in 43.28. Lucy Morton also featured in this class, taking fourth with Cassclo Beach, when fastest of the four-faulters in 34.65. Taking fifth place was John McEntee with the Maurice Devlin-owned HHS Verona, finishing on eight faults in 35.38, while in sixth was Tyrone Flanagan and Corkhill Quality, with eight faults in 36.83.

Sven Hadley claimed a number of placings at Eglinton’s Northern Indoor Championships, including first and third in the Open Championship with Elka De La Pomme and Maximum Numero Too HSH (pictured) respectively \ Aoife Desmond

1.20m battle

The 1.20m Championship on Sunday saw 22 battle it out for the £1,000 on offer and, in the end, it was amateur rider Nicole Fox (AA) who took this win aboard the Gwyn Yemm-owned Bluestones Ludo, when clear in 33.04. Hadley was back in the line-up, taking second with Machnus Lux with a clear in 33.40, while in third was Katie Nallon and the six-year-old Primero-Carlos, clear in 33.70. Slotting into fourth place was Shane Treanor aboard the Sean Jordan-owned Nikittaire Van’T Oosterzand (8yo), clear in 34.23. It was a good trip for Lucy Morton, as she took fifth with Mya McDowell’s Seapatrick Clarimo (8yo), when they kept all the poles in place in a time of 34.50. A clear from Shane McCloskey and the five-year-old Clonterm Flash Back in 35 seconds saw them take sixth.

Nicole Fox and Bluestones Ludo won the 1.20m Championship at the Northern Indoor Championships at Eglinton \ Aoife Desmond

The 1m Championship (7yo and over) saw amateur riders take the top three placings. Leading the victory lap was Nicole Lynch (AA) and My Velvet Lady, when they lodged a clear in 31.31. Not content with the win, Lynch also took second when she partnered Balinus to a clear in 36.90. Grace McGarry (A) and Candy Crush 1 accounted for third with a clear in 40.13, while in fourth was Eric Smith and Lissan Harry, clear in 40.26. Fifth place belonged to Tara O’Neill and Hailey’s First Lady (7yo) clear in 41.31, while in fifth was Catherine Carr and the eight-year-old, Lunetta Beach, clear in 43.45.

Katie Nallon and Bouncers Hero (6yo) emerged as the winners of the 1.10m championship, when they came home with all the poles in place in 31.10 seconds. Lucy Morton collected in this class, partnering Joanne Morton’s five-year-old Bella Blau to a clear in 33.88 for second. Nallon returned to take third with the six-year-old Primero-Carlos, when she delivered another clear, albeit in a time of 35.18.

A clear from Shannon Treanor and Kinmar Spice (6yo) in 35.26 saw them secure fourth. Sven Hadley added to his haul, taking fifth with John Chadwick’s Nikta Van Het Wastennehof (6yo) with a clear in 44.76. Completing the top six was Shane Treanor and SJ Cornet Og (6yo), with four faults in 34.15.