KILDARE’S Mikey Pender secured his first victory in the 2025 Plusvital Premier Grand Prix at the National Balmoral Championships last Sunday. In addition to claiming the winner’s share of the £25,000 prize fund, he also took home the prestigious Giltspur Trophy.

Riding his own home-bred eight-year-old Madgeslane Louis, he was fastest of six double clears. The chesnut gelding is by Luidam out of the OBOS Quality 004-sired Madges Lane Karol. The dam herself has an impressive record which includes jumping in the seven/eight-year-olds in Dublin with Pender in 2018.

Delighted with the win, Pender said: “There was a good few in the jump-off so it was always going to be competitive. I knew I was up on time from the first to second fence, so I kept the rest of the course tight. He had jumped a 1.45m and I wasn’t sure if I was a few weeks early stepping him up to this.

“At the start of the year, he was a bit green so I sent him to Italy with Susan Fitzpatrick and he picked up a lot of mileage there. A big thank you to Keatingstown Stud for their help. I think he is going to be a really good Grand Prix horse”.

A strong field of 39 combinations battled it out in the Wilson Auctions-sponsored class. From the original starters, 11 booked their place against the clock. In the line-up, three eight year-olds finished in the top four positions, demonstrating the calibre of young horses in Ireland.

Junior rider Kian Dore and Helssinki was first to go in the jump-off and started off strong with a good turn to the oxer at 15 and then to the double (oxer-vertical). This, matched with a tight line from the vertical at nine and a good gallop to the last, saw him stop the clock in 43.31 which would later see him take fourth. Owned by his father Carl Dore, this eight-year-old French-bred gelding is by Calvaro Z.

Next in, league leader Susan Fitzpatrick and Guedelon Batilly also took a series of tight lines and produced a clear round but came home in 44.47 which saw her finish behind Dore. Owned by Fitzpatrick and Rosemary Farm, the nine-year-old is another French-bred gelding by Qlassic Bois Margot.

The next double clear was lodged by Jonathan Smyth and Mulvin Lui after they crossed the line in 44.58 which saw them take sixth. Noletta Smyth and Roy Craig’s 15-year-old gelding by Luidam x Baron De Chantepie was bred by Vincent Loftus.

The target was reduced when Comdt. Geoff Curran and the Minister for Defence’s Hawthorn Hill came home in a fast time of 42.12. Curran got a great shot at the third oxer and then on to the oxer at 15. He took a tight line to the penultimate fence and the final Plusvital vertical and shaved over a second off Dore’s time to set a new target. Bred by Jerry Quinn, 13-year-old mare is by Cardento out of the Limmerick mare Tummery Limelight.

Double handed in the jump-off, Mikey Pender had his first look at the course with Marion Hughes’ HHS Fortune but was ruled out of contention when he finished on eight faults. He made no mistake second time out, however, with the big striding Madgeslane Louis as he took all the necessary tight lines.

He made up time from the onset, taking nine strides from one to fence two and then a tight line back to the double. He manoeuvred a super line to penultimate and the last which saw him clock the winning time of 41.16.

Max O’Reilly Hyland put in a great attempt aboard his own Rock Warrior but a clear in 43.23 would only prove good enough for third. Rock Warrior had featured in the line-up already in this Premier Series under the command of Niamh McEvoy, claiming the win in Barnadown. Bred by Max’s mother, Barbara O’Reilly Hyland, this eight-year-old gelding is by Casalla La Silla and out of the Castor-sired mare Cassi. He was campaigned by his owner from a five-year-old up to Grand Prix level up to last year.

The top two athlete and horse combinations after this weekend’s penultimate leg at Tattersalls will be invited to jump in the five-star classes at the Dublin Horse Show.

Susan Fitzpatrick continues to lead the way on 22 points with Valisco PS, ahead of Niamh McEvoy and Flora Du Mesnil on 20 points. McEvoy also holds third place with Olympic GL FVD (17 points) while five-star event rider Cathal Daniels is in fourth with Cappog Tomy (15).