THE opening 1.40m Gain Alltech Autumn Series Grand Prix took place at the Mullingar Autumn Championships held at Mullingar Equestrian Centre last Saturday and what a way to open the series!

Seventeen combinations made it through to an exhilarating jump-off, with 12 double clears, and it was leading young rider from the Munster region Kian Dore who threw caution to the wind to not only win, but also claim second and fourth places.

Dore piloted Jillian Lennon’s Monterey Bay to first place in 33.53 seconds and his father Carl’s Helssinki to second in 33.87. Speaking after the win, Kian told The Irish Field: “Monterey Bay has been a very consistent horse, who is very careful and easy to ride. He has had a great season, he won the Millstreet two-star Grand Prix, as well as three national grands prixes during the summer and was fourth in a leg of the Plusvital Premier Series. I am very lucky to have him.

“Helssinki has had a very good season also, he has done well in the premier series and was second in a two-star class in Chard earlier in the year. He was also fifth in the Millstreet Grand Prix and, hopefully, we will take him to HOYS in a few weeks’ time.”

Just one second separated third and seventh places and it was Lt Michaeli Byrne, fresh off her great performance in the Grand Prix at the Dublin Horse Show, who denied Dore the clean sweep when partnering DHF Alliance to complete the podium in third, clear in 35.13. Lt Byrne took up the reins on the 11-year-old mare, owned by Jessica Stallard and The Minister for Defence, after the sporting retirement of Comdt Geoff Curran, and they have instantly hit it off.

WHS King Lincoln, owned by Michael O’Sullivan, gave Kian Dore the firepower needed for fourth place, when breaking the finishing beam in 35.42. Lt Raphael Lee continued his impressive season and strong showing for the Army Equitation School, when guiding Derrycush to fifth in a time of 35.44, with Gain-sponsored rider Jack Ryan and Northlawn Farm Ltd’s Calgrafi DWB completing the top six in 35.77.