Emer Bermingham

DARRYL Walker’s journey from Wicklow to Cork paid off when he took top honours in the TRM/Horseware National Grand Prix at Charleville Agricultural Show last Sunday.

Riding Manuela Martinelli’s Irish Sport Horse Cushions, Walker recorded his first victory of the league and took home the lion’s share of the €4,500 in the Dick’s Supervalu-sponsored class.

Delighted with his win, Walker said: “The mare has not been out jumping in the last few Grand Prix shows as I was busy with the RDS qualifiers. She is a super mare and really doesn’t need to be out jumping every weekend.

“My focus is now on the Premier Series at Omagh so I wanted to give her a run before then.”

He continued: “It was a tricky course and in particular the last line needed careful attention. You also needed to keep a close eye on the clock as a few riders got caught out. I was last to go in the jump-off, so I had the advantage of seeing where I could make up the time and what I needed to do.”

Cushions is a nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare by Flex A Bill and out of Ard Flo. The mare started her campaign with her breeder Edward Doyle and showed impressive form up to 1.30m.

This year, under the command of Walker, she has also clocked up some top results, which included a win in the final of the Spring Tour in Coilog and third place in the TRM/Horseware Grand Prix at Louth County Show.

PRESSURE

Course designer Tony Hurley set a testing course with tight lines putting pressure on all riders. From the original starters, six proceeded to the timed round and, of these, only two delivered double clears.

First to go in the jump-off, Greg Broderick set off in a calculated pace with his own Billy Cevelle. Keen to put the pressure on, he kept his lines tight, but it came at a price as he crossed the line carrying four faults in 42.34 seconds, which would later see him slot into fifth.

In a bid to deliver a clear round, Noelle Barry opted to take the outside lines with Norway Venture. Although the pairing kept all the poles in place, two time penalties and a final time of 53.24 meant she finished in fourth place.

With no clear round delivered by that stage, Peter Leonard’s decision to play it safe aboard Bastion paid off as he delivered the first double in 51.37.

Francis Connors looked to be on target as he negotiated the tight lines with Erne Ladygoldilocks however their clear round in 52.54 included a single time fault. As a result, they slotted into third place.

Problems arose for Gerard Campbell and Catch Me If You Can towards the end of the course and their final tally of 18 faults in 61.05 out them into sixth place.

Using his last to go position to his advantage, Darryl Walker set off in a determined pace with Cushions.

Without taking any unnecessary risks, Walker steered the gelding to a clear round in 44.55 to take the win, the process demoted Leonard to the runner-up spot.

Walker had earlier claimed victory in the 1.30m class with Manuela Martinelli’s Vis Del Vergante when they jumped clear in 32.15 seconds.

Second place went to David Moran and Derg Showtime, who galloped home in 32.68. Cork rider Philip Horgan accounted for third when he partnered Cavalier Cruiser to a clear in 33.87.

Winner of the 1.20m with Ballylynan Luke, Vincent Byrne picked up another rosette when steering Caugherty to a clear in 34.58 for fourth place in the 1.30m.

Alan O’Regan and Holmoak Bolivia accounted for fifth when clear in 37.12. Placed second in the 1.20m with Erne Luxetta, Francis Connors picked up another placing when crossing the line with nothing to add in 40.37 with Corelli.