IT was a well worth trip from Hickstead to Cork for Liam O’Meara as he took another Grand Prix victory at Charleville last Sunday. Riding Mr Coolcaum, O’Meara, lodged his fifth win of the series and took home the winner’s share of the €5,000 on offer in the Dicks Supervalu of Charleville-sponsored class. This result gave the Tipperary rider a commanding lead on the SJI National Grand Prix leaderboard as he now lies in pole position on 69 points.

A delighted O’Meara said: “It has been a great week, with the horses going great in Hickstead and to end it all with a Grand Prix win is the icing on the cake. It was my first time competing at Hickstead and to have such good results makes it all worthwhile. I flew home last night and I was able to do this because Paddy O’Donnell kindly offered to take my horses home. I am very grateful to him as it allowed me to compete here today.

“I was delighted at how Mr Coolcam went, but I was particularly pleased at how Russel Style handled the challenge. It’s good to have a seven-year-old jumping confidently at this level.”

It was a good week for O’Meara who clocked up some impressive results at Hickstead CSI4*, including fifth place with Curraghgraigue Jack Take Flight in the the British Speed Derby, ninth in the The Astore & Sons Speed Derby Qualifier and fourth in The Astore & Sons Speed Derby Qualifier with Kenny’s Flight.

Owned by Meara, Mr Coolcaum is a 13-year-old gelding by Coolcaum Hill out of the Indian Ruler-sired mare Ranch Lady. This gelding has been instrumental in O’Meara taking an early lead in the series having also taken the win in Barnadown and Galway and second in Coilog.

A total of 16 starters took on the Tony Hurley-designed course and, from those, nine booked their place against the clock. In the jump-off, riders had opportunities from the start to make up time. For those with a win in mind, a tight turn from fence two to three was necessary, as was a tight line to the double. For those riders who wanted to stay within the 40-second barrier, a good pace to the last was needed.

First to go, reigning National Grand Prix Champion, Vincent Byrne set the target when he galloped to the last with Sambuca Paris Diamond to lodged a clear in 39.46 seconds.

Triple-handed in the jump-off, Liam O’Meara got his first look at the course with Russel Style. Opting to err on the side of caution with this seven-year-old horse saw him cross the line clear in 47.67, which would eventually see him slot into seventh.

Double-handed against the clock, Francis Connors and Hyperion had four faults when hitting the back bar of the oxer at three, in a time of 41.74, which saw him finish out of the top six.

Kildare Rider Jamie Garland didn’t disappoint as she kept all the poles in place with her home-bred, eight-year-old Luidam-sired Zedlepplin. Although they crossed the line in 45.78, a smart clear saw her finish in sixth place.

Vincent Byrne returned with Mr Rockefeller and a daring gallop to the last paid off as he lowered the target to 38.78 seconds. Connors and his second mount Billy Daly’s Newmarket Clare Lady took a series of tight lines to take the lead, clear in 38.64.

Sven Hadley and Sumas Taloubet kept all the poles in place, albeit in a slower time of 44.92, which saw him finish just below path finder Vincent Byrne and Sambuca Paris Diamond, who slotted into eventual fourth.

All eyes were then on speed merchants Liam O’Meara and Mr Coolcaum, who were last to go. Setting off in a blistering pace, they left nothing to spare as they crossed the line in 36.59 to take the win and, in the process, demote Connors (Newmarket Clare Lady) into second and Byrne (Mr Rockefeller) into third.

FLYING FORM

It was a good weekend for the National Spring Tour Champion Sven Hadley as he clocked up a series of good results.

Riding Vvood Stock De Breve, Hadley took the honours in the 1.20m, clear in 32.36. Patrick Joyce and Dusty Dude, clear in 34.01, were the runners-up, ahead of Mark Doyle and SCF Renaissance in 34.01.

Victory in the 1.20m Charleville Agricultural Show six/seven-year-old class belonged to Vincent Byrne riding Fiona Hickey’s Ballyneety Road to Divorce when they delivered a foot-perfect performance in 24.26. Less than a second behind (24.54) was Patrick Joyce and Glyntown Blake for second place, while Andrew Hodgins and Sandra took third clear in 25.30.

Hadley was back in the ribbons when he took victory in the 1.30m. Riding his own Quanbell, Hadley lodged the winning clear round in 33.78. Taking the runner-up place was Vincent Byrne and Primo Royal, clear in 34.07, ahead of Patrick Joyce and Dusty Dude, clear in 34.78.