THE Dutch-bred Ruben, owned by Jim Derwin and ridden by James Derwin (pictured) won the four-year-old Rising Stars Young Horse Series Grand Final in Mullingar on Saturday.

By Grandorado Tn, the gelding is out of Funalocia by Bugatti VDL. The judges awarded the pair the top marks of 113.5 points for the win.

Second place went to Catherine Thornton and her own Drumiller Supreme (Pegase Van’t Ruytershof x Arko Ill), bred by Paul Dillon, with a score of 112.

Aoife Cuffe and her own Dutch-bred mare Rainbow Tn finished in third with a score of 107.5.

Young rider Sadhbh Cuffe and Cathy Cuffe’s Dutch-bred Romai took fourth on 106.5, while fifth went to Derek McMahon riding his own Belgian-bred Chacco Blue x Cormint stallion Chacasall Vdh Z with a score of 106. Chloe Fagan slotted into sixth place with another Belgian-bred stallion, her father Robert’s Nestor Z (Nixon Van’t Meulenhof x Heartbreaker) on 104 points.

The six- and seven-year-old Rising Stars Handicap Final on Sunday afternoon was won by Emma O’Dwyer riding her own six-year-old mare Laconda 50.

By Million Dollar out of Aconda T by Con Air, she has been partnered by O’Dwyer since May of this year.

Thirty combinations had qualified for the €4,000 final, which was supported by Gerry Mullins and Jimmy Doyle.

Just 10 kept a clean sheet through round one to progress to the decider. O’Dwyer was fastest of these, stopping the clock at 38.77 aboard Laconda 50.

Dylan Savage and Jessica Dorban-Stallard’s Dutch-bred six-year-old Olivia Garden Tn (Highway M Tn x Cavalier) were runners-up in 39.28.

Aoife Cuffe and her mother Cathy’s Dutch-bred One And Only Tn took third in 40.94.

Aisling Murphy’s Ringo Starr (Cormint x Loch Cruise), bred by Eimear McAteer and ridden by Joan Greene, were fourth in 41.67, while Robin Carey and her own Kasmira VDL Z (Kasmir Van’t Schuttershof x Fetiche Du Pas) were the fastest four-faulters and slotted into fifth place.

Shane Moloney riding Richard Bourns’ mare Ita Cave completed the line-up in sixth place.