FOLLOWING a great show at Cavan Indoor Championships, Emily Turkington went on to take the win in the TopSpec Seven-year-old Championship at Balmoral.
Riding the Donald Loughran-owned Cornet, she was the fastest of three double clears in 37 secondss. Bred by Norbet Brinker, the gelding is by Borenet Prinz out of a Clarimo dam.
Speaking after the class, Turkington said: “I am very excited about the horse’s future. I had a silly fault in the Cavan Classic with him in the jump-off so he deserved the win today. I am very appreciative of the excellent owners in Sid Rana and Donald Loughran.”
Catherine Thornton was less than a second behind aboard her own and David Campbell’s Coachella, in 37.92 for second place. Bred by Tom and Linda Magee, the mare is by Ustinov out of the Cruising-sired Icing. Young rider Nicole Kershaw also kept the poles in place with Clovalent, in 38.13 for third place.
Winner of the feature Grand Prix at Cavan Indoor Championships, young rider Niamh McEvoy was back in the ribbons, taking fourth place here with Lisboy Louie when fastest of the four-faulters in 37.88.
Edward Little had an unlucky four faults aboard the Ballydub Group-owned Carnlea Premier Balou in 39.78 for fifth place. Robert Harrison and Drumrankin Caesar were fastest of the four-faulters from the first round for sixth place.
Win for Cassidy
International course builders, Dromara father and son duo Raymond and Nigel Jess set the challenge for the Havens Horse Feed Six-year-old Championship which saw 11 combinations take up the challenge.
Schoolteacher Orla Cassidy emerged victorious when she delivered the only double clear in the three-way jump-off aboard Whitetree Endeavour in a time of 46.20 seconds. Owned by Cassidy, the mare was bred by Tena Kenny-Murray and is by Vancoureve out of the Telling Tales-sired Mig. This is the latest good result for this combination lately having won the qualifier at The Meadows Equestrian in July and also winning at Lambertstown Derby Show recently.
Cassidy commented: “I was delighted with the win. The mare just jumped brilliantly on the day. We bought her from the breeder Tena Kenny-Murray at Cavan foal sale and we have produced her up through the ranks. Nicholas Butler has helped me to produce her and this year she has clocked up some very good results.
“She won the RDS qualifier in Barnadown and was just unlucky in Dublin. Balmoral has always proved lucky for us. At this year’s National Balmoral, we finished second in the HSI Studbook series. She just really seems to like the ground.”
Young rider Abby Norton proved that she could beat the time when she clocked 39.88 aboard Legaland Diamant for second place. Bred by Joe Reilly, the mare is by Diamant de Semilly out of the Clinton-sired Drumiller Digital.
Frank Curran also beat the target time with his own Leeston Zaire, but again four faults here would prove good enough for third place. Bred by John McKibbin, the mare is by Darco out Zidane (Heartbreaker). Fastest of three on four faulters in the first round (79.50) was Angela Waras and My Clementine for fourth place. Dylan Ward and Kruser DHH took fifth when he stopped the clock in 80.59 for fifth. Niamh O’Connor Barry slotted into sixth place when she clocked 86.29 with her own Drumiller Daytona.