JONATHAN Smyth rode Noletta Smyth and Roy Craig’s ever-consistent gelding Mulvin Lights Out (Kroongraaf x Diamond Serpent) to the top spot in the 1.35m Bluegrass Grand Prix at the Portmore Autumn Championships last Sunday.
Some 14 of the 34 combinations that lined out for the £2,000 class managed to produce a clear first round to progress to the jump-off. Of the 14, just six posted a second clear round, with Smyth the quickest of these in 34.07 for first place.
Shane O’Reilly and Brian McConville’s eight-year-old BWE Special Rose (I’m Special De Muze x Camilo De Haar Z) were runners-up in 34.33. Young rider Jenny Dunlop and her father Andrew’s Questro Z (Quick Star x Heartbreaker) finished third in 34.61, while junior rider Launa McCann rode Kerrie Knipe’s Sambuca H (Simba x Kannan), bred by Sheila White, into fourth in 34.77.
Fifth place went to Ronan McLaughlin’s Zenith Vd Donkhoeve Z, who crossed the finish line in 35.30 with Ben Walsh in the saddle. Jodie Creighton and Hilary Furlonger’s home-bred Poppy’s Flash Back (OBOS Quality x Harlequin Du Carel) finished in sixth in 37.32.
Devlin on target
Saturday’s Bluegrass 1.30m Grand Prix at the venue was won by young rider Luke Devlin aboard Sarah Agnew’s Lisbane Aladdin (Casall x Gelvin Clover). The pair produced the one and only double clear round in the five-way decider to claim the lion’s share of the £1,000 prize fund.
A starting field of 41 was reduced to just five for the decider. Four combinations incurred a single time fault, while nine had one fence down and five more had two on the ground.
Second place went to Rachel Chapman riding her own mare Os Pouilly Fusse (Peppermill x Perigueux). They had one fence down in 40.79. Shane O’Reilly and BWE Special Rose were third, while Shane Treanor and Sean Jordan’s Belgian-bred Captain Blue finished fourth. Jane Clarke and her own German-bred Cartobet slotted into fifth place.
The six and seven-year-old championship, sponsored by Lee Johnston Farrier, offered a prize fund of £1,000 and was won by Megan McGettigan riding Regula Wassmer’s Belmondo. By KEC Maximum Joe he is out of Kilmeague Clover (Voltaire) and was bred by Enda Corry. The combination stopped the clock at 32.01 in the 12-strong jump-off for first place.
Junior rider Robert Russell, riding his mother Jane’s Akd Carnlea Blue (Chacoon Blue x Cardento), bred by Nicholas Dillon, took second place in 32.10.
Mhb Ask Cazaan (Cazaan x Hoeks Ludo W), ridden by Tara Dunne, owned by her mother Siobhan and bred by Michael Beattie, finished in third place in 33.11.
Fourth went to Patricia Stewart Greer aboard Gary Stewart’s Gss Highlight (Emerald Van’t Ruytershof x Lux Z), bred by John Mulvey. They stopped the clock at 33.28.
Shane O’Reilly rode Brian McConville’s Billy Santandiago (Billy Tudor x Douglas), bred by Donal Barnwell, into fifth, while Jonathan Smyth and his own Mulvin Ganesh Melanie (Ganesh Hero Z x Ard Vdl Douglas) took sixth as the fastest four-faulters in 41.10.