JONATHAN Smyth was clearly in glittering form at the Balmoral Championships where he pulled off a clean sweep of the Ulster Grand Prix, the TRM/HSI New Heights Champions Series and The Underwriting Exchange Grand Prix.

Tyrone-based Smyth claimed his first win in the TRM/HSI New Heights Champion Series aboard Mulvin Lui last Thursday and with it, took home the winner’s share of the €9,000 on offer. Owned by Noletta Smyth and Roy Craig, this impressive nine-year-old gelding is by Luidam out of the Baron De Chantepie-sired dam Castleconnor Baron. This is the second win for this combination having also landed the honours at Barnadown.

Delighted with the win, Smyth said: “It has been a very good show. I started off by winning the Ulster Grand Prix with Crystal Tom on Monday, then the National Grand Prix with Charlton Clio and the six-year-olds with Mulvin Lights Out.”

Of Mulvin Lui, he added: “We bought him as a three-year-old in Goresbridge. My father produced him as a four-year-old before I took over. He is a special horse and I don’t think that we will ever get another one like him again. I want to thank the owners, my mum Noletta and Roy Craig for keeping him for me to ride. I have a great string of horses and I am grateful to all my owners; without them I would be nowhere.”

First to go in the eight-way jump-off and carrying four faults, Kenneth Graham proved out of luck when he added another four faults to his tally to finish on eight faults in 46.26, for eventual eighth.

Next up and carrying four faults was Elizabeth Power and Doonaveeragh O One. Speed merchants against the clock, Power kept the pressure on and delivered a clear second time out in 41.20 for eventual fifth.

First of the clears to take it on was Jonathan Smyth and Mulvin Lui. Smyth set off in a calculated pace and got a good turn back to the TRM vertical at three, this matched with a tight line back to the double and on to the last, saw him set the winning time of 43.50.

Next up, riding Billy Guilder, Edward Doyle Jnr took a similar line as Smyth, but just wasn’t as fast across the ground. Another clear round in a time of 46.34, put him into second place at that point.

Francis Connors and Erne Ladygoldilocks kept the poles in place the second round and finished on zero faults in 47.68, which proved good enough for eventual fourth.

Tim MacDonagh set off in a determined fashion aboard Hollypark Galloway, but his hopes of a win was dashed when faulting at the second oxer. A fast time of 43.58 would later see them slot into sixth place.

Peter Smyth proved out of luck with Templepatrick Welcome Limmerick when they faulted at the second oxer and then at the second part of the double in a time of 45.17, for eventual seventh

All eyes were then on the last to go, Tholm Keane and BMH Big Time. There were some anxious moments for Keane as the stallion rattled fence 14, but with all the poles remaining in place, a double clear in 43.81 saw him take second place and demote Doyle into third.

National Grand Prix

In The Underwriting Exchance National Grand Prix, Smyth and Charlton Clio took the honours when they were fastest of the three double clears in a four-way jump-off. This combination has proved consistent in the series, claiming the runner-up spot in the opening round in the Meadows, fourth in Portmore and sixth in Galway.

Winners of the round at Omagh, Tim MacDonagh and Hollypark Galloway added to their tally when delivered a clear in 47 seconds for second place. Jessica Burke and the eight-year-old Greenvale Draco also erred on the side of caution and crossed the line clear in 48.59 for third. This combination previously finished third in the round at Portmore.

Runners-up in Clonmel Grand Prix, Eddie Moloney and Andiamix Hero Z were back in the ribbons when they crossed the line carrying four faults in a time of 46.19 for eventual fourth. A single time fault kept Stacey Babes and Kerly De Regor out of the jump-off but their time of 87.15 proved good enough for fifth. Fastest of the four-faulters in the first round were Richard Kerins and Small Change in a time of 78.16.