JESSICA BURKE won her first Grand Prix of 2018 when she rode Clonguish Vivaro to victory in the ninth round of the Connolly’s Red Mills Spring Tour in Mullingar last Sunday.

“We are delighted with the win. He (Clonguish Vivaro) has only been back in work for two months and this is our third round of the spring tour. He jumped really well. I started riding him since last year, he by Vivaldo Van Het Costersveild out of Clonguish Gold by Tanaos. He is nine years old and is owned, locally to here actually, by the Jordans so it was nice for them to see him win here.

“He has been quite consistent. He did well as a seven-year-old and towards the back end of last year jumped well in Millstreet and Cavan in the international classes so we have high hopes for him on the National Grand Prix circuit this year. He’s a lovely horse. He’s a real winner. If you just keep him going forward, he loves to run and jump and that suits me so it works well.

“It’s been a great show here in Mullingar. We have eight horses here altogether and it was great to get the young ones out in the big rings. This morning we had a few five-year-olds in the main ring and they went really nice so it’s been a great day all round.

“We will head to the final in Coilóg, again we’ll bring some young horses with us; its great experience for them to get into the big rings and is a great way to prepare them for the Horse Board classes.

“I’ve a nice bunch of horses for the National Grand Prix circuit this year so hopefully we will have some success,” said Burke following the win.

A total of 56 starters lined out for the 1.35m class and just 11 managed to make it through to the timed decider.

Young rider Louis Delplace was pathfinder aboard Lowhill Showdown. The pair really put it up to the remaining 10 when they set a target of a clear round in a fast time of 43.54, a lead they would hold onto through the next six riders and would be good enough for eventual third place in the final line-up.

CHALLENGING

Olivia Roulston and Gererieka VI were having a steady, cautious round until fence six when a miscommunication on the way to the vertical saw the pair crash through it and collect four faults.

Third to go Damien Griffin and Armani BS produced a competitive accurate round until the final fence. An error here cost them four faults and left them out of the running.

A single time fault saw Declan Mc Evoy and his own BLM Cosmopolitan Dandy slot into sixth place with a clear round in a time of 48.96.

Kevin Gallagher and Capri Van Overis Z had a nervous moment at fence four when an audible rattle of poles sounded like a score in the faults column, but it stayed up; their relief was short lived however, the next fence was to be their downfall and saw them finish as the fastest four-faulter in 45.35.

Ultimately named as the best turned out pair, Nicholas Butler and the ever-reliable Vimminka were next to go. Unsurprisingly they left all the fences intact but were slightly off the mark in a time of 45.02 for eventual fifth place.

FOOT-PERFECT

Joseph O’Brien and Legaland Lux Breaker produced a foot-perfect round in a fast time of 43.90 as seventh in. The pair slotted into second place for their efforts and would ultimately take fourth place.

Burke was next to go and her impressive clear round with accurate turns and a forward pace from the off saw them stop the clock at 41.54; over a second and a half faster than her closest rival, to secure the victory.

Harriet Cooper riding Annaghmore Small Hero then collected four faults when they had fence five down in a time of 48.05.

Sean Monaghan and Paddy Quinlan’s Simone had a clear round but in a slow time of 50 seconds which cost them two time faults and slotted them into seventh place.

Last to go was league leader Sven Hadley aboard Sumas Taloubet. The pair lodged a decent round leaving all the fences up but couldn’t quite catch the time stopping the clock at 43.10 to occupy the runner-up spot and earn themselves the all important eight league points to keep them at the top of the table.

The next round of the spring tour takes place in Warrington today with the final taking place in Coilóg tomorrow.

Hadley currently leads the league on 46 points. In second place on 30 points after wins in JAG, Kernans and Barnadown is Frank Curran. With points and a half on offer at the final in Coilóg, it is all still to play for.