MERVYN Clarke claimed the opening round of the €2,700 Horse Sport Ireland ISH Studbook Series Seven-Year-Old class at Louth County Show with Thomascourt Senna.

The penultimate rider in a nine-horse jump-off, Clarke had a decisive victory when coming home in 36.92 seconds, over two seconds clear of nearest rival Maria Vozone.

Bred by Co Antrim’s Cynthia Beattie, Thomascourt Senna is by Mermus R out of the Cruising-sired dam Playgirl. Produced by Clarke from a four-year-old, the pair enjoyed considerable success last season including a runner-up finish in the Irish Breeders Classic as well as finishing joint second in the ISH Studbook Showjumping Series six-year-old league standings.

Vozone was partnered with HHS California and had set the original standard at 38.88 early in the clocked round. Owned and bred by Marion Hughes, the mare is by Heritage Fortunas and has already shown impressive form this season when finishing third in the Maryville EC round of the Connolly’s Red Mills Spring Tour at the end of March, and winning the one-star Grand Prix at the Millstreet Welcome Tour.

Liam O’Meara proved only fractionally slower and secured third place on the day. Riding Russel Style, O’Meara logged a faultless round in a time of 39.02. Sired by the former mount of Nick Skelton, Russel, Russel Style is out of the Harlequin du Carel-sired Cruisings Carol.

Jessica Burke proved next best with Express Trend crossing the line in 40.46. Owned and bred by Liam Nicholas, the gelding is by Future Trend out of the Condios-sired dam Condios Express.

Francis Connors filled the final two places in the line-up and provided the only other double clears on the day. The faster of these was Damien Conway’s Air Jordan Z-sired HVL Consun (41.69) while the Luidam-sired BP Castlefield recorded 42.76.

A high standard of jumping in the €2,700 Six-Year-Old Final saw 16 of the starting 25 make it through to the second round with 12 combinations recording double clear rounds to share the honours. These were Ger O’Neill (Columbcille Gipsy); Jack O’Donohue (HHS Geneva), Linda Moloney (Zilko), Jessica Burke (Castlelawn Captain Junior), Gabriel Tunney (Darling Sherlock), Mervyn Clarke (Thomascourt BGS), Alexander Butler (Pico), Jack O’Donohue (HHS Calais), Michael Cave (Ardragh Tim Tam), Jack O’Donohue (HHS Toronto), James Hogg (Intuitive) and Olive Clarke (FSS Spotlight).

The €3,150 Five-Year-Old Final saw nine of the starting 25 make it through to the second round with all of these combinations managing to keep a clean sheet on their second outing.

Sharing the purse was Damien Griffin with Wineport Stoogie and Qualilas; John Mulligan (Sliabh Papillon Breaker), Tracy Walsh (Fernhill Lucky One), Jack Ryan (BBS McGregor), Liam O’Meara (Could Be Anything), Michael Roche (Royal Vivendi), Catherine Thornton (Cornascriebe Tinker Bell) and Jack O’Donohue with HHS Catwalk.