RICHARD Kerins designed the course for the Tubberbride leg of the Sunshinewindows.ie 1.35m Connaught Grand Prix League, sponsored on the day by Gain Horse Feeds.

There were 44 starters and the arena was in perfect condition, with 18 horses and riders getting through to the jump-off.

Shane Dalton, once again in fine fettle and first to jump with Chimay, gave a sparkling performance to go clear in 36.48 seconds over the tight and testing jump-off track. The pair set the standard and were never caught.

Conall McLoughlin, making his first appearance at this year’s Connaught Grand Prix League, gave the next clear round riding Shannondale Sonic in a time of 36.55 to move into second place.

The next five faultless horses all exceeded time of 40 seconds and before Cormac Rafferty speeded things up again with KMR Benzini. With no errors, they broke the beam in 37.29 to move into third place.

When Shane Dalton came to jump with Belfields Captain the spectators’ concentration was evident by the silence. This pair had already won the two previous rounds at Headford and Corrandulla and were at the top of the leaderboard. The pair gave a smooth, speedy performance in 36.69 without fault to fill third place and depose Cormac Rafferty. Catriona Fallon and HHS Bay Hill (39.86) were fifth, while sixth, seventh and eighth places went to Peter Smyth and Tonnmore (41.15), Owen Horan with Black Boy (42.73) and Catriona Fallon and KEC Rejane Platier (44.22).