Hanley win

MAYO’s Cameron Hanley produced the only double clear round of the competition, to win last Sunday’s two-star Grand Prix at Lier in Belgium.

Hanley’s victory came aboard the nine-year-old gelding Cas 2 after they were one of eight combinations to make it into the second round. The jump-off course saw riders struggle to keep the fences standing, before Hanley and Cas 2 produced the winning round, giving the Irishman his first Grand Prix win with the son of C-Indocro.

Breen third

TREVOR Breen scored a podium finish in last Sunday’s Grand Prix at Vejer De La Frontera in Spain. He guided The Irish Sport Horse Oldtown KC to third place behind French winner Julien Epaillard with Cristallo ALM. Shiekh Samir Mirdad scored numerous podium placing’s during the week at Vejer, including a win in last Friday’s 1.10m class where he also filled runner-up spot. Shiekh Mirdad’s results saw him move to the top of the Classic Tour leading rider standings.

Marshall sixth

Antrim’s Harry Marshall finished sixth in the Sunshine Tour Grand Prix at Vilamoura in Portugal last Sunday with Bordeaux. Brazilian rider Stephan De Freitas Barcha collected the winner’s prize with Aliana. Eoin McMahon scored a fourth place finish in a 1.40m class at Vilamoura last Saturday with the Irish Sport Horse Talks Cheap.

Hadley placed

IT was another good week for Galway rider Sven Hadley on the Costa Del Sol Tour in Mijas, Spain. Riding Realt na Carrig, he finished fourth in both the 1.45m and 1.30m speed classes with Quanbell. The same pair also finished 10th in the 1.40m two-phase. He also finished third in the 1.30m speed class with Woodstock de Breve.

Riding for Hadley Sporthorses, Tori Dunn partnered Bellscross Cruisedown to a win in the 1.10m speed.

Pacifico second

THE Irish Sport Horse Pacifico (by Pacino) and Clem McMahon took runner-up spot in last Thursday’s seven-year-old final at Oliva in Spain. Waterford’s Francis Connors finished fourth in a 1.40m speed class last Saturday with Corelli while the same pair took eighth place in another 1.40m class a day later. Ireland’s Shane O’Reilly finished fourth in another 1.40m class with Witro.

Sweetnam close

CORK’s Shane Sweetnam took second place with Cyklon 1083 in the $35,000 Douglas Elliman 1.45m Classic at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida this week. The 15-year-old Swedish warmblood stallion by Cardento, owned by Spy Coast Farm LLC, was clear in 64.53 seconds.

Victory went to double Olympic gold medallist McLain Ward with Double H Farm’s HH Carlos Z, a 14-year-old Zangersheide gelding by Chellano Z. Co Meath’s Cian O’Connor was fifth on Saphir, owned by Nicole Walker, clear in 68.16 while Conor Swail was sixth on Dillinger, owned by Susan and Ariel Grange, clear in 68.39.