Roisin Sheridan

GERARD Clarke won his first Grand Prix of 2016 last Sunday in Killossery Lodge. Riding his own experienced mount the 16-year-old gelding Kellswater Crimson he proved best in the seven-way jump-off to secure the victory.

“I’m very happy with the result. I thought the track was fair and it suited us. It was great to pick up some decent league points and I plan to do a few more rounds of the league. I’ll be in Portmore this weekend and in Broadmeadows on St Patrick’s Day,” he told The Irish Field. “I’m lucky enough to have my other horse Rafiki, who jumped very well yesterday, collecting just a single time fault, for the league as well so I can swap them both in and out. This was a nice way to start the year.”

He continued: “I have a number of horses in the yard that I’m very excited about. I have the six-year-old Dutch stallion Fabio M. He is by Flipper D’Elle and out of a Grannus mare called Pia B. He is looking very promising and I’m hoping for some good results with him this year.

“Lupins Lux Z is another one that I have high hopes for. He is another six-year-old. He’s a gelding by Lux Z and out of a Cruising mare called Thornfield Lupin and is owned by the same people that own Rafiki, Patrick and Clare Sutton. He was doing really well until he had a minor injury which set him back a little experience-wise, but he’s back in action now and I think he’s got loads of potential.”

Asked about his plans for 2016, Clarke said: “My plan is to do some more shows here and then head to Hickstead. After that we will see how things are going make decisions based on that but I feel that I have a few exciting prospects for the year ahead.”

A total of 41 combinations lined out over the Frank Glynn-designed track. The second rider in, David Maher (Slaneyside Maggi), was the first to produce a clear round of jumping but collected an expensive time fault which would deny him a place in the jump-off.

Tholm Keane, as 10th to go, was the first to progress to the timed decider. He produced a clear round aboard Future Storm, an eight-year-old mare by Future Trend out of a Cruising mare Angel of Harlem.

Wesley Ryan was another rider that left all the fences up, but was outside the time and collected two time faults with Bernhard.

A further half dozen contenders progressed to the jump-off during the second half of the first round. A total of 15 had four faults, nine of these being racked up at fence five, a vertical.

James Hogg had two horses for the jump-off, so he elected to go first riding his father Edgar’s Always On My Mind. They had the first part of the double down to finish on four faults in a time of 39.61

Next in was Keane and Future Storm. They too had just one fence down, theirs coming towards the end of the track at fence 10. Their time of 38.31 would be good enough for eventual sixth place.

John Floody and Shenick began well and produced a fast round, stopping the clock in a time of 37.94 to put them into the lead.

The Spring Tour is often a platform for up and coming junior riders and Killossery served as just that for Matt Garrigan who, as next in, produced a decent clear round in 42.81 riding MHS La Scala. This would slot the pair into eventual fifth place.

Edward Butler and Harold McGahern’s nine-year-old Diamant De Semilly mare Rincoola Rua made a decent effort, leaving all the fences up with good turns into the double and fence 11. They broke the finish beam in 38.27, which put them into third place.

Clarke was the penultimate rider in and wasted no time. With accurate turns and an ongoing pace throughout, he managed to slice over three seconds off the leading time in 34.07 to secure the win.

Last to go was James Hogg with his second mount Almost Persuaded. They kept a clean sheet throughout but stopped the clock in 40.78 for fourth place in the final line-out.

The next three rounds of the Spring Tour are scheduled for this week.

The sixth round takes place today, Saturday, (March 12th) in Portmore, the seventh round takes place on Sunday in Ballinamona and the eighth round takes place in Broadmeadows EC on St Patrick’s Day.