JOHN Floody and Ballyknock Diamond claimed the top-spot in Cavan County Council Table A Challenge on Friday evening at the Cavan International Horse Show.

A large field of 42 lined out for the one round speed class which carried a prize fund of €7,000. Jordan Coyle and his Portmore Grand Prix winner, Celtic Park Horses’ 10-year-old gelding Chuckles (Cicero Z x Flamenco De Semilly), set the pace as sixth into the ring over the challenging track.

They produced a clear round in a time of 57.58 to head proceedings at this early stage and this time would be good enough for eventual sixth place in the final line up.

Next in, as seventh to go, was the 2017 FEI Pony Jumping Trophy winner Seamus Hughes Kennedy riding his mother Clare’s 14-year-old German-bred gelding Louis D’Or (Landcapitol x Grannus). They lodged a clear round, stopping the clock at 57.17 for eventual fifth place.

As 10th to go Floody and Francis Hughes’ Ballyknock Diamond (Jacomar x Touchdown) were relatively early but this didn’t stop them from talking over two seconds off the leading time to shoot to the top of the leader board, a place they would hold onto despite 32 more challengers trying to catch them; their time of 55.07 couldn’t be caught and they claimed the victory.

Vincent Byrne and Peig Van Amerongen’s 11-year-old mare Clim Bim (Cassus x Quidam de Revel) made a good attempt when 12th to go, stopping the clock fault free in 56.75 to slot into third place.

Midway through the class Emily Turkington came closest to catching Floody when, as 20th to go, she steered Cormac McKay’s eight-year-old gelding Jay Gatsby (Gatsby x Loughries Quiet Man) to a clear round breaking the finish beam at 55.47 for second place.

As the class came to a close, Jonathan Smyth and Clive Cathers’ 10-year-old Beach Ball gelding Ping Ball posted a decent time of 57.15 which would see them finish in fourth place.