FIRST and second places in Saturday afternoon’s 1.35m Balmoral qualifier went to two talented, foreign-bred eight-year-old mares.

The winner, Shane Treanor was aboard Sean Jordan’s Dutch-bred Nikittaire Van’T Oosterzand (Comthago x Arezzo VDL). They posted the only sub 30-second jump-off time, when they flew through the finish line in 29.51.

The runner-up spot went to Belgian-bred Symphonie Aeg (Inaico VDL x Arezzo VDL), owned by Sean Kelly and the rider Kerry Taggart. They broke the beams in 31.83 for second place.

Third went to Aoife Owens riding her own Omard Connery (O.B.O.S. Quality 004 x HHS Br Charlton), which was bred by Brian O’Reilly. They stopped the clock at 36.11.

Lt James Bracken scored one for the army when he rode Kilfenora (Kec Maximum Joe x Aldatus Z), bred by Anna Kennedy, into fourth place as the fastest four-faulter in 30.79.

The Irish Field’s own Brendan McArdle took fifth place aboard his home-bred mare Brackley’s Lulu (Luidam x Lux Z), while Ailsa Sexton and Cafre Tia Maria (Verdi x Lux) completed the line up in sixth.