WITH just one round left before the grand final of the Irish Sport Horse Studbook Series at The Meadows, riders were out in force to add points to their tally.

In the five-year-old final, 12 combinations jumped double clear to share the spoils of the €3,150 on offer. Fastest of those double clears was Tholm Keane and Temple Alice in 44.13. Jessica Burke delivered double clears with Lux Like Cruise and Miss Jolly. Sophie Richards had three in the line-up, Moonahaw DVZ Diamond, MHS Fernhill and Be The One.

Those also delivering clears and clocking up points were Francis Connors (KBS Major Player), John Mulligan (Lough Seur Sarlady), Jack Ryan (BBS Mcgregor), Maria Vozone (Solsboro Masterpiece), Maura Counihan Jnr (Killerisk Can Ya) and Louis Delplace (HHS A Touch Of Class)

In the six-year-old division, Ger O’Neill got the ball rolling when he recorded a win with Eamonn Murphy’s Columbcille Gipsy. It was a competitive class with seven combinations contesting the jump-off and from these, only two delivered double clears. Fifth to go in the jump-off, the pairing stopped the clock clear in 38.18 seconds to take the winner’s share of €2,700. Bred by Murphy, Columbcille Gipsy is a six-year-old mare by Toulon out of Gipsy 111. Murphy also has Columcille Gipsy’s two-year-old full sister Columbcille Modell.

Following after O’Neill, Jessica Burke and Castlelawn Captain Junior kept everything in place and delivered the only other double clear in 38.24 for second for the runner-up spot. Louis Delplace proved that the time could be beaten when he crossed the line in 36.48 aboard HHS Matilde, but four faults at the vertical after the double saw him finish in third place.

Anne Marie Fitzpatrick and HHS Fondue also faulted at the same vertical but in a slower time in 38.88 for eventual fourth, ahead of Robert Splaine and Cassino Cavalier who incurred four faults at the second part of the double in 41.70. Francis Connors and Tara M completed the top six line-up when they recorded four faults at the first and crossed the line in 42.49.