GALWAY’s Jessica Burke won her first two-star Grand Prix at Sentower Park in Belgium last Saturday with the Irish Sport Horse Express Trend.
Burke, who is based at Arion Stud in the UK, was among 13 clears in the first round of the 1.45m feature class in which 58 started. Riding Liam Nicholas’ home-bred 13-year-old gelding by Future Trend out of a Condios mare, she was the fastest of seven clear rounds in 37.82 seconds to win the top prize of €6,350.
Britain’s Harry Charles slotted into second place aboard Valkiry de Zance (0/0 38/06), ahead of Morocco’s Abdelkebir Ouaddar with Istanbull v.h Ooievaarshof in third (0/0 39.02).
It was an excellent weekend all round for Burke as she also won Saturday’s six-year-old class with the British-bred Ashdale Divine (Luidam x Lux Z) who is also owned by Nicholas. The pair were the fastest of 13 clear rounds in the jump-off, breaking the beam in 37.86 seconds.
Speaking to The Irish Field this week, Burke said: “I am absolutely delighted, it was class. One of the goals for this year was to win a ranking class or a two-star Grand Prix and I got the two of them in one. I am very lucky, I have had Express Trend since he was three; he took me to Lanaken for the first time, took me to the five-star classes in Dublin last year and now he has won my first two-star Grand Prix.”
Full of praise for Tulla breeder Nicholas, Burke added: “Liam has five horses with us in England, including Ashdale Divine. She won the six-year-olds in Hickstead a few weeks ago and this was her first show since then, she is a little star. I was hoping to do Lanaken this year but hopefully next year.”
A maths teach by trade, Burke is currently on a career break and made the move to Louisa Church’s Arion Stud last year. “It is going really well. It was a big move away from home but we have a lovely place and between Liam and Louisa, we have some really nice horses. We have bought a few nice young horses recently, and hopefully in the next few year we will have a nicer bunch of older ones for the bigger shows.
“I am officially on a career break. I don’t see myself going back to teaching any time soon but you never know,” Burke added.
Allen win
Wexford’s Bertram Allen won the seven and eight-year-old 1.35m jump-off class on Saturday. He guided the Je t’Aime Flamenco-sired Irish Sport Horse gelding Classified to the fastest of 13 clear rounds in the jump-off in a time of 37.20.
Bred by Galway vet Philip McManus, the seven-year-old is out of the Libertino I mare Larissa II. Sentower Park was his first show with Allen, having been produced by Philip Horgan for Highfort Stud.
Allen also finished fifth in the class with Voltanos (0/0 38.82), ahead of Emily Turkington with Susanne Macken’s home-bred Irish Sport Horse mare Bella M (Luidam x Acorado I). Jessica Burke slotted into ninth place with Louisa Church’s Iron Lady SR W.
Turkington earlier won Thursday’s seven and eight-year-old class with Bella M who, out of Action G has two older siblings registered on the Irish Horse Register, including the nine-year-old Cooley Actionman who is competing at two-star level in eventing with Canada’s Kelly McCarthy Maine.
The pair posted a time of 37.36 seconds to beat off 21 others who produced double clear rounds a class which had 34 starters. Tara Glynn finished in sixth place with Inschalla C Z.
Jenny Rankin placed third in Saturday’s two-star 1.45m Table A. Riding another ISH bred by Susanne Macken, the nine-year-old mare Tara M (Luidam x Lasino), she was one of just seven clear rounds in the class which was won by Belgium’s Yves Vanderhasselt. Alex Duffy finshed in fourth place with Big Bang des Genets.
Rankin finished fifth in Sunday’s one-star Grand Prix with the nine-year-old gelding Cosimo il Primo when one of six double clear rounds in 44.59 seconds.
Victory went to Dutchman Maikel van der Vleuten and Elwikke (0/0 38.07). The Linda Buchanan-bred Irish Sport Horse Touch of Chilli (Out of Touch x Diamond Chin) finished third under Sweden’s Thomas Fasteus.