CIAN O’Connor made it two in a row when he won the Grand Prix in Killossery Lodge last Bank Holiday Monday having also won the previous day in Portmore.

“I’m delighted with the results,” said O’Connor. “The Glynns always make a great effort so I always like to go to the show when I’m home. It was a good track; the fences went up in the second round and with several options for turn backs it made it for an interesting and challenging jump-off.

“It was a good experience for the girls (Emily Shorte and Lillie Keenan). This was Emily’s first Grand Prix with Coco II and she was first to go, she performed really well with a double clear and we are really happy with how it went.

“Lillie also went early in the class and had two good rounds so it was a positive result for them both and allowed them notch up some good mileage. My horse (Saphir) is naturally very quick and we managed some decent turns so I was pleased with the win.

“Ross (Mulholland) and the girls will head to the Cavan International but unfortunately I will miss it; it clashes with the North American Young Rider Championships in Toronto and I’m coaching Nicole Walker there. From there I’m heading to Doha for the final round of the Global Champions Tour.

“I plan to do a couple of shows in Belgium in November and then head to Olympia; I’ll borrow Super Sox, Coco II and Saphir from the girls to compete there as the stallions will have already left for Florida; they must undergo a longer quarantine while the geldings’ is only for two days.”

Included in the stallions being sent to Florida is the most recent addition to Cian’s string, Sam De Challois. “I needed some more good horses to take the pressure off Good Luck; I’m aiming to be in the World top-30 before April so I had to add to my string.

“I had been following Sam De Challois’ progress for a while and am delighted to have him; I hope to have him at a show in Belgium before he heads off to the States and am looking forward to competing him there after Christmas. We plan to spend Christmas here with the family before the Winter Equestrian Festival.”

The latest on the HSI’s appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over Ireland’s Olympic qualification in Barcelona is that a panel should be formed before Christmas.

Just 26 combinations lined out for the eighth round of the Autumn league and 11 kept a clean sheet to progress to the timed decider.

Emily Shorte set the pace with a cautious clear round with Coco II in a time of 43.48. She was followed by fellow Karlstown rider Lillie Keenan and the impressive Super Sox. They too left all the fences intact and recorded a decent time of 37.66 to put it up to the remaining nine.

Third in was O’Connor on the first of his three mounts and the previous day’s victor, Quick Shine. The pair didn’t shine quite so brightly on this occasion however, they left all the fences up but failed to catch Keenan in a time of 40.65.

Daryl Walker and Riverside Ace then managed to better the leading time in 35.63 but with the fourth fence down for four faults to add.

Captain Geoff Curran riding Seapatrick also finished on a score of four after knocking the second last in a time of 39.48.

Sixth to have a go was Waterford’s Francis Connors and Ian Smyth’s eight-year-old Ard VDL Douglas mare Capitol Cruis. They added their names to the list of four faulters when they had the fourth fence down in 53.87.

O’Connor and his second mount Mercury were also caught out by the fourth fence to put them out of the running despite a quick time of 37.41.

MHS La Scala and Matt Garrigan slotted themselves into the temporary runner-up spot when they provided a clear round in a time of 40.13; this would be short-lived however, as the next rider in lodged an impressive round.

Cormac Hanley riding Captain Caruso moved up in the order to allow O’Connor more time to warm-up his third mount. The young rider lodged an impressive round including a tight left turn from fence two to three and then again from five to six; he finished in a time of 34.63 to take the lead.

O’Connor and his third mount Saphir didn’t waste a moment from the off and with superb, well-timed turns throughout; making up time going into the double and with a tight left hand turn to the second last, they stopped the clock in 32.83 to snatch the lead from Hanley.

Last in was John Floody and Mise Le Meas, they had the third fence down to leave them out of the final line-up.

Tomorrow (Sunday) the league heads to Wexford Equestrian for the penultimate round; but it’s all still to play for as current league leader Cian O’Connor won’t be adding to his tally there, or in the Cavan final the following week.

So with John Floody and Cormac Hanley still very much in the fray, it should make for a very interesting final.