Tara Dunne

JOHN Floody dominated in the 10th leg of the HSI/Connolly’s Red Mills Spring Tour filling three of the top four placings at Kernans EC on Easter Sunday.

Floody headed the line-up in the €2,500 feature class, sponsored by the Glencarron Nursing Home, with Ballyknock Diamond while also filling the runner-up position aboard Kings Best and taking fourth place with HTS Blackrock.

Floody was certainly on form on the day making it triple handed to the jump-off and proved unlucky not to take four forward with Mise Le Meas missing out with a single pole down. Mise Le Meas has been a familiar face in the line-ups of the Spring Tour having already placed in four rounds to date.

Floody said: “It was a good day at the office. I’m lucky this year to have nice horses, I had a couple of quiet years – it takes a while to build a team like this.

“Ballyknock Diamond jumped a great round. He had a very successful year in 2015 and he has been a very consistent horse for me.”

The now eight-year-old gelding impressed last season, qualifying for the seven and eight-year-old international class at Dublin as well as winning the Cavan Classic Six and Seven-year-old Championship and making the step up to 1.40m level in the Autumn Grand Prix League.

This season Ballyknock Diamond has already featured in the Spring Tour placing third at the opening round back in February at Jag Equestrian.

Ballyknock Diamond is owned and bred by Co. Louth man Francis Hughes. By Jacomar, a former winner of the Dublin Grand Prix under Dutchman Marc Houtzager, Ballyknock Diamond is out of the Touchdown-sired dam Ballinlock.

Hughes, a keen breeder, has two siblings to Ballyknock Diamond, both sired by Hold Up Premier, due to be offered at the upcoming sale in Cavan at the end of this month.

With a high level of absenteeism only 20 of the listed 30 starters took on the Alistair Megahey-designed course.

Floody commenting on the course said, “I have to really give credit to Alistair (Megahey) he has really developed as a course builder. He did a really good job, didn’t overcrowd the ring with a combination and it worked out really well. I think we are going to see a lot more of him in the future.”

With only five making it through to the timed decider, the lower placings were decided amongst the fastest of the four faulters.

Amy O’Rourke secured sixth place with the Ard VDL Douglas mare Toscana, unlucky to have the final fence in a time of 69.98. This was not O’Rourke’s first time to put points on the board with the pair featuring in the top three at the round in Broadmeadows EC.

Owen McCamley was next fastest with his own Baloubet du Rouet-sired Belle de Reve Z.

Another combination that looked set to supply a faultless performance, the pair had to settle for seventh place when the penultimate vertical came down in 73.27. John McLaughlin took the final place in the line-up with Lincourt Lux, four faults in 73.52 and secured the pro-am accolade in the process.

Floody played pathfinder over the shortened and raised course with the Irish-bred stallion HTS Blackrock. He set the time to beat at 34.74 but with the penultimate vertical minus its top rail.

Co. Down based young rider April McCrea moved up in the draw and made a solid effort but faulted at the same obstacle with the eight-year-old piebald gelding Bob albeit in a slower time of 38.05.

Floody had the course worked out by his second attempt and set the bar high for his remaining competition when recording an exceptionally fast time of 32.16 with Ballyknock Diamond.

Vincent Byrne couldn’t quite come within striking distance with Caugherty but ensured his trip north was worth it at the same time when logging a double clear round in 34.74.

Byrne has shown good form in the Spring Tour to date with the 14-year-old Limmerick-sired Caugherty, coming out in front in the rounds at Ballinamona and Wexford.

Floody however still had one chance to feature with the 13-year-old Kings Best and made it count when leaving all the fences untouched in a time of 34.43.

With the maximum 10 points gained for the win, Floody now sits on a total of 47 points just under league leader Liam O’Meara on 51 points with four rounds remaining in the Spring Tour.

Floody outlined his plans for the coming weeks saying, “I will probably head to Barnadown at the weekend and then the plan is do the round at Mullingar and the final in Coilog.

“My main focus then will be on Louth County, I’m aiming to do the Premier Series with Mise Le Meas. He is a very special horse and I’m quite proud of how he has progressed.”