OLIVER McCarthy made his competitive comeback count when taking the top spot in the 1.40m Grand Prix in Cavan last Sunday.
Riding Zuidam, the 23-year-old, who has just returned to riding after an illness which forced him to take almost a year off, got straight back to business notching up the fastest time in a competitive jump-off to secure the win.
“I’m delighted with the win,” McCarthy told The Irish Field afterwards. “I’ve only ridden this horse (Zuidam) a few times but he was fantastic. My cousin Greg (Broderick) gave me the ride of him and it worked out great.
“He is naturally quite fast and is very quick through the turns. He is always thinking ahead and is almost making the turn before you ask him too,” he said of the 14-year-old Guidam-sired stallion, who has had huge success under the Ballypatrick flag, winning classes under numerous different riders in the last 12 months.
“I had a good start from fence one to two in the jump-off, and we had a good turn into the double and then again back to the vertical so I think that’s where we made up some time,” McCarthy said.
“The course rode well. I think it’s the sign of a good course builder when any faults collected on a track are at various different fences and not just at one or two places, and that’s how it was all through the show. I think that Stuart (Clarke) builds good courses and that the whole operation in Cavan is really well run and organised.”
McCarthy has spent the last number of years working in America under McLain Ward and Kevin Babington. He made the move at the age of 18 after winning the RDS young rider bursary in 2013.
“This is the first time I’ve really competed in Ireland for several years. I was based in the USA with McLain Ward for four years and learned a huge amount from him.
“I had always admired him as a rider and during my time there got to see first-hand just how well he runs every part of his business.
“Obviously he is a fantastic rider but I’ve seen the way he manages all aspects of his business from investment horses to training riders and running the yard is very professional and I would like to try and replicate that in my own operation,” he added.
“My brother Darragh has a yard in Belgium and I’ve a few horses with him there. I also have a few based with Greg and also some in the UK with Michael Duffy.
“My immediate plan is to do a few more show here and then to head to Belgium and do a few two and three-star shows in Europe before eventually making my way back to the States to establish a base there.
“During my time with McLain I competed in some young rider Nations Cup shows as well as at all the other shows on the East Coast circuit like Central Park and Wellington.”
The youngster thanked those who supported him through a tough couple of months. “There are so many people that have helped me during my illness, almost too many to mention. My family, of course have been fantastic and Greg and Cheryl (Broderick) have been great but also lots of other riders, Paul O’Shea in particular has been really good to me.
“There are so many people to thank it could take hours, I am very lucky to have such a great team supporting me.”
COMPETITIVE
A total of 53 starters lined out for the 12th of the 18 round league. Twenty of those managed to keep a clean sheet over round one to progress to the timed decider.
First to go, Peter Smyth, riding Robert Bingham’s Templepatrick Welcome Limmerick, had one fence down in a time of 31.94 to leave them well down the placings in ninth.
Francis Connors and Huge Fitzpatrick’s ERNE Ladygoldilocks produced the first double clear of the day as the second pair in. They stopped the clock at 32.08 for eventual fourth place.
Jamie Garland and Zedleppin also managed a clear round but in a slower time of 36.80 to slot them into seventh place. Louis Delplace and Martin Walsh’s Lowhill Showdown (Carrickhill Lad x Touchdown) also left all the fences intact and were just slightly slower than Connors to occupy fifth place.
Clem McMahon and Declan McGarry’s seven-year-old gelding Carrow Indoctro (Indoctro x Heartbreaker) delivered the fourth clear round in a time of 32.83 for sixth place.
Next in, Galway’s Raphael Lee, aboard Oilean Dunlop (Captain Clover x Easy Lift), lodged the second clear round of the class in a very fast time of 31.78, which saw them take the lead at that stage.
McCarthy was next with Zuidam. They managed to slice 0.19 seconds off Lee’s time, breaking the beam in 31.59 to secure the victory.
Robert Harrison and Landlystes Rubina made a good attempt to catch the leaders, and they did manage to lodge the exact same time as Lee in 31.78, leaving the pair tied for second place.
Jonathan Smyth (Charlton Clio) and Edward Doyle (Billy Guilder) both had one fence down apiece to occupy eighth and ninth place, respectively.
NALLON VICTORY
Saturday’s 1.35m round of the Top Spec Autumn league was won by young rider Ciaran Nallon aboard Richard Nallon’s Bally Fair Deal. The combination recorded a jump-off time of 35.65 seconds to head proceedings in the class, which also acted as the Senior, Junior and Young Rider Grand Prix.
Ciaran Nallon and Bally Fair Deal, winners of the Autumn League Grand Prix in Cavan. Photo Laurence Dunne/ jumpinaction.net
The runner-up spot went to Jackie Lee’s Hashino, who was clear in 36.90 seconds when ridden by Raphael Lee, while third place went to Eddie Moloney riding Derek Gaw’s Rocky Bond in 38.46.
Maura Counihan slotted into fourth place with her mother’s Killerisk Minnie in 40 seconds even, while fifth went to Angela Percy riding Hilary Furlonger’s Five Star Quality in 41.25. Tim MacDonagh and Jackie Lee’s Hollypark Galloway were sixth in 41.74.
The next round of the Top Spec Autumn league takes place today and tomorrow at Portmore Equestrian Centre.