JOHN Floody and Bronson De Reve were crowned autumn league champions after winning the 1.40 metre final Grand Prix in Cavan last Sunday.

This win saw them capture the autumn league title for the third year in a row

In a nail-biting finish, Jonathan Smyth was snapping at John Floody’s heels right up until the final round with just two points in the difference between the two.

Speaking after the win, a delighted John Floody told The Irish Field: “It was a very exciting finish to the league. Jonathan really put me under pressure. He’s a really talented young rider and I knew I needed to win both of the rounds in Cavan to get out in front of him. Stuart (Clarke) had set us a decent track and I was first to go in the jump-off with my other horse HTS Blackrock, we had two fences down so I knew it was all down to Bronson.

“I was without another horse of mine, Ballyknock Diamond. He had performed very well in the league but then he was ruled out with a small injury since October so I was playing catch-up. I knew I needed to win both the Saturday and Sunday Grand Prix in Cavan to hold on to the league title for the third time. I was first to go on Saturday and just managed to secure that win so heading into Sunday the pressure was really on.”

Just seven of the 25 starters managed to make it through to the timed decider.

Floody was pathfinder aboard HTS Blackrock. They began well but ran into trouble at the second part of the double and then at the following fence to finish on eight faults in a time of 48.73 which put them into eventual seventh place.

Next in were Paddy O’Donnell and Niamh Rothwell’s eight-year-old gelding Galway Bay Astrojet (Iroko – Darco). They were clear right up to the final fence but an error here knocked them out and they finished on four faults in 53.66 to occupy fifth place.

Greg Broderick and the Dutch-bred nine-year-old gelding Duco (Vigaro – Calvados) posted a good time of 44.33 but with four faults to add collected at the sixth fence they had to settle for third place on this occasion.

Floody was fourth to go with Bronson De Reve. They managed to leave all the fences intact; the only pair to do so. They also weren’t going to leave anything to chance and stopped the clock in a decent time of 39.94 to leave it up to the remaining three.

CHALLENGE

With it all left to do, Pingball and Jonathan Smyth were next to go. They began well but were caught-out by the second part of the double to finish on four in a time of 40.64 which slotted them into the runner-up spot.

Banteer winners Tholm Keane and Future Storm (Future Trend – Cruising) were the penultimate pair in. They too, like Floody and his first mount, fell fowl of the second part of the double and the next fence for eight faults, in a time of 42.62.

Last to go and the only thing separating Floody from the hat-trick were Jonathan Smyth and his second mount Charlton Clio. They started well and looked to be on target heading to the final line, but it was not to be – an error at the second last fence followed by another at the last saw them finish on a score of eight faults, in 38.44, for fourth place.

Speaking after the presentation, Floody said of his mount: “Bronson De Reve has been a great servant to me. I saw him first as a three-year-old and knew there was something special about him. I was determined not to let him go and luckily his owner Eileen Duggan has left him with me the whole way through.

“He has been really consistent throughout his career and myself and his owners have got a lot of happiness from him. He is such a good horse and he always wants to please which is great.”

Bronson De Reve is a 12-year-old gelding by Hermes De Reve and out of Oktober. A look at his record just over the past 12 months proves his domination at this level.

At the start of the year in February he won the 1.30m in Ravensdale. He followed this one month later with a win at 1.35m in both Broadmeadows and Kernans.

In April he finished third in the 1.35m in Coilóg and in June he was fourth in the 1.35m Cavan. At the 1.40m National Grand Prix in Omagh in June, the horse finished as runner-up and went on to take the same position at the 1.35m Ulster region Grand Prix in Balmoral.

In September he also slotted into second place in the 1.40m in Cavan and then two days later won the 1.40m Autumn Grand Prix league at the venue.

Bronson De Reve rounded off his impressive year with the win last Sunday and will now have some time off.

“We are really busy in the yard at the moment so it’s nice to be able to step back a little from competitions. I prefer to stay home in the spring so I hope to have a holiday away without the horses but come February we will be back and raring to go,” said a delighted Floody.