FRANCIS Connors rode Raymond McChesney’s RNH Valentino to the top spot in last Saturday’s 1.35m Mervue Equine Grand Prix in Wexford.

By Van Gogh out of RNH Beach Ball (Beach Ball), the 10-year-old gelding was bred by Norman Hammond.

Of the 24 combinations that lined out, just nine managed to post a first round clear to progress to the timed decider. Connors was fastest of these, stopping the clock at 47.12 over the Killian Clarke-designed jump-off.

Junior rider Conor Brennan came closest to catching him aboard Sinead Brennan’s home-bred MHS Jersey Girl (Cardento x Quidam Junior 1); they broke the finish beams in 48.28 for the runner-up spot.

Ian Smyth’s Ridge Douglas Lady was guided into third place by Billy Sinnott in a time of 48.97. Sinnott also managed to steer his other mount, his own Dutch-bred eight-year-old Macgyver into fourth place in 58.87.

Connors and his second mount Ann Connor’s eight-year-old Dutch-bred Mister-Go slotted into fifth place as the fastest four-faulters, while Orla Queally and Kilnamac Maud were sixth.

Larina Cruise, a six-year-old mare by Loch Cruise out of Kennystown Cross (Tabasco Van Erpekom), bred by Micheal Kenny, was ridden to the win in the Mervue Equine 1.20m by Cian Byrne.

Just nine of the 30 starters managed to produce a clear round over both phases and Byrne’s was the fastest of these in 33.06.

Second place went to Kate Walsh riding the Ann Lambert-owned and bred Redshire Molly (Robin de la Maison x Coille mor Hill) in 37.87.

Zoe Mehigan and Sonya Brennan’s mare Escarda U took third place in 42.40, while Patrick Byrne and his own home-bred five-year-old BGS Mammys Boy (BGS Ocean View x Ask) finished fourth in 43.05.

Enda Ivanoff steered his own mare Nubalia DHF (I’m Special De Muze x Indoctro) into fifth in 44.93. Junior rider Ella Kenny and Ragazza Di Flamenco (Je T’aime Flamenco x Guidam) were sixth.