JONATHAN Smyth captured his third straight win in the SJI Autumn Grand Prix League and his second at 1.40m level in as many weeks when he rode Ann Doherty’s Crystal Tom to the top spot at Cavan Equestrian Centre last Sunday.

Crystal Tom is a nine-year-old chesnut gelding by Silvano out of Lady Graf by Graf Magna.

This is the ninth Grand Prix win this year for the pair and Smyth could not be happier with how the talented gelding is going.

“He has really come to the fore this year,” said Smyth. “Everything that has been asked of him he does, so you can’t ask for more than that really. It’s very exciting because I think that this is only the beginning for him, I think he still has a lot left to give. This is only the start of his journey and I can’t wait to see just how far he can go.

“I’m going to the final in Cavan so that is made all the more exciting because myself and Olive (Clarke) are so close on the league table so it makes it more interesting and fun.

“After Cavan, he (Crystal Tom) will have a couple of weeks’ break and then I’ll bring him back in to start working towards Vilamoura. I have four stables booked for the show there and I think with his results in 2019 he has more than earned his place in one of them.”

Competitive action

An initial start list of 22 was soon reduced to 11 for the timed decider. Pathfinders L’Esprit Hero Z and Dermott Lennon had the first part of the double down in a time of 45.44 for eventual seventh place.

Second in, Derek McConnell and Longfield Quinlui faulted at the same fence as Lennon but in a slightly slower 45.75 for eighth place.

Mayo-based French rider Tess Drouin Reed and Chiricco 2 were faster in 43.35 but they too had four to add, picked up at the third last fence, for fifth place.

Sven Hadley and Topspin were unlucky to have just the first fence down to finish on four in 45.32 for sixth.

Eight faults earned at fences four and seven saw young rider Adam Carey and Quebello B finish outside the top 10.

The first double clear round was produced by the sixth combination in, Donegal’s Kenneth Graham and Democrat in a slow time of 55.15 which would slot them into fourth place.

International event rider Cathal Daniels and Cappog Tomy became the third duo to fall foul of the first part of the double and they stopped the clock at 53.42 for 10th place.

Philip Carey partnered Kamiro D to the second double clear of the class, theirs coming in 52.68 to secure third place.

Tess Drouin Reed and her second mount Milchem Gorgeous had the second fence down in 49.85 for eventual ninth place.

Another rider aboard his second mount of the jump-off, Derek McConnell and Dothraki Warlord, left all the fences intact in a good time of 46.32 for the runner-up spot.

The final rider in Jonathan Smyth had then advantage of watching all his competition take on the track before he and Crystal Tom continued their winning streak, producing a another foot-perfect round in 44.62 to secure the victory in the 1.40m feature.