TREVOR Breen was quick off the mark on the 2016 UK premier series, a productive visit to Bury Farm last weekend yielding three good placings.

Breen’s best result came in the opening national 1.40m competition, where the 2015 Hickstead Derby winner Loughnatousa WB finished third to world number one Scott Brash riding Hello Forever, with Julie Andrews taking second with Ayrton IV.

It was a tight finish, where less than a second separated the top three riders. Chasing fast targets set by the leading pair, Breen chanced a turn into a sizeable oxer in his efforts to claim the top spot.

“It proved a very fast jump-off and after Scott [Brash] and Julie [Andrews] went round, I thought I might just sneak into the lead with a cut inside. We were as quick as we could have been, I really couldn’t have gone any faster and it just proved how quick the top two were,” said Breen, who secured 10th place in the final Grand Prix, again with Loughnatousa WB.

Breen added to his ribbon haul when the Dutch-bred Feliano B finished fourth in a hotly contested newcomers class.

“I have high hopes for this horse. He’s progressing well and I think there are big things to come from him,” said Breen who shares joint ownership of the talented six-year-old with Philip Ryan and Robert Tierney.

Breen also used the Bury Farm premier to give Bombay a run out before February’s Spanish sunshine tour.

Last November Breen and Bombay competed in Oliva before starting the new year off in style with a decent placing at the inaugural Liverpool four-star show.

The nine-year-old mare was going great guns in the winter B&C qualifier until a fence fell in a time that would have been quick enough for second, frustratingly a place which would have earned a qualifying ticket to the Royal International show.

“She’s going very well and I’m hoping to step her up a level this season,” concluded Breen.

Also in the money at the Bury Farm premier, were Keith Doyle and David Simpson, who both earned a Foxhunter fourth place apiece riding Etude and Keoki respectively. After enjoying a ‘festive break’ at home, Kilkenny rider Dean Wilson was soon back into the swing of things at Emerson Tough’s Manchester yard.

Riding the five-year-old mare Ulisina II, Wilson produced a nice discovery double clear at Northcote Stud in Lancashire before upping the pace in the newcomers where Oligar Angelus and All Faith MF secured sixth and seventh places.

After having a good show at the pre-Christmas Hartpury spectacular show, where Dungimmon Sunrise, an 11-year-old by HHS BR Charlton jumped his first Grand Prix for four faults, Bryan Smith heads back to the Gloucestershire College this weekend.

BROKEN RIBS

Smith was temporarily sidelined with a couple of broken ribs sustained in a schooling fall at home two weeks ago but hopes to be fit for his first show of 2016.

As this time of year is often given over to preparing youngsters, training, yard-repairs and preparing for the forthcoming sunshine tours in Portugal and Spain, many riders are currently having a ‘kick back’ from shows.

Ken Ashe is currently fully occupied with 52 liveries on his Southampton yard, Michael Duffy is getting ready for Spain, Trevor Nicholson has just brought his established rides in after a winter rest and expects to be up and running next weekend and Mark Dorgan will also be back on track later this month.

Taylor Croke is happy to report he has a very nice bunch of young horses to bring out in the next few weeks.

The Anglesey-based rider will be competing horses for Paul and Hayley McGuigan of Anglesey Sport Horses.

“This is the best team of young horses I have ever had,” said Croke.

Paul Kennedy, who is based with Dave Quigley in Shropshire, also reports being kept fully occupied and his next shows will be South View this weekend and Aintree’s three-day Elite show next week.