Brian Hennessy

TIPPERARY’s Greg Broderick carried his superb recent international form back to Ireland, when winning the latest round of the TRM/Horseware National Grand Prix league at Galway County Show. Broderick has been in devastating form on the Irish Nations Cup team with MHS Going Global, but he has also picked up several recent International wins with MHS Automatic and it was with the 10-year-old gelding that Broderick claimed the top prize on Sunday.

MHS Automatic, who just like Going Global is by the stallion Quidam Junior I, was bred in Co Kilkenny by Ita Brennan and is now owned by Cerulean Stables, based in Pennsylvania USA.

Speaking afterwards to The Irish Field, Greg Broderick was keen to commend the Galway County Show organisers, saying: “I am very happy to get this win, I always like coming to Galway County Show, the ground was really good and there was a great atmosphere around the ring. MHS Automatic is a naturally quick horse and tough to catch when he is in this form. He has already won several classes at Lummen this year and won a class at the 5 star show in St Gallen and was second and third in classes there too.

“I was also delighted with how Golden Exchange jumped today, Elizabeth Power jumped great round to push us into third.”

Elizabeth Power finished as runner-up with her brother Robert Power’s Doonaveeragh O One. A family steeped in equestrian tradition, Robert is a former Grand National winning jockey while father Con Power was part of several winning Irish Aga Khan Teams in the 1970’s.

Elizabeth herself represented Ireland at the European Pony show jumping European Championships in 1997 before embarking on a very successful Eventing career. She finished just over two seconds behind Broderick and MHS Automatic with the High Roller gelding Doonaveeragh O One, in a Grand Prix which was sponsored by Galway native Enda Carroll’s Ashford Farm.

Greg Broderick also filled third place with Lisa Cawley’s Golden Exchange. Their time of 42.82 seconds would have been even quicker but for a slip when turning after the oxer at fence four in the jump-off. Co Mayo’s Shane Goggins produced an excellent clear round with the scopey-looking Darco stallion UFO to finish in fourth, while Fermanagh-based Gabriel Tunney also kept the fences standing with Lisa Morrison’s nine-year-old Limmerick mare Lavish who stopped the clock in 45.89 seconds taking fifth.

Alexander Butler opted for a cautious clear in the jump-off with Dekato who is just a seven-year-old by the stallion Upgrade, a time of 49.80 seconds would see them finish sixth. Earlier Alexander Butler lowered a single fence in the opening round with Vimminka, who had been in a rich run-of-form following wins in the previous national grand prix round at Ballivor and at Cork’s Jumping In The City.

Nine horses and riders had made it into the jump-off, with Galway’s Thomas O’Brien going all out for a home win aboard Amaretto but unfortunately knocked a single rail to end their chances, while Wesley Ryan riding Quinar de Cassini also finished with one fence down in the jump-off.

Mayo’s Gabriel Slattery had looked to be heading for a perfect round when second last to jump with Captains Magic Touch, but agonizingly they knocked the very last fence to drop them down the leaderboard. Greg Broderick made no such mistake when last into the arena with MHS Automatic, the pair covering the ground effortlessly on their way to their winning round in 40.30 seconds.

Speaking afterwards, chairman of the Galway County Show Jumping committee Paul Duffy was pleased with how the weekend’s action turned out,

“We had some great jumping here in the Grand Prix and the Irish Sport Horse Studbook classes, the weather stayed dry but it was quite cold which did keep some spectators away but we still had a decent crowd.

“The riders all seemed happy with the ground which is the main thing, this is our second year at Ballybrit Racecourse and we would certainly hope to come back here again next year if that is possible.”