IRISH show jumpers enjoyed a successful weekend at the five-star Global Champions Tour in Madrid, Spain, when both Darragh Kenny and Denis Lynch claimed victories.

Lynch’s win came in the final class of the show, the 1.50m Kings Cup Volvo Trophy. Riding the Rushy Marsh Farm-owned 14-year-old stallion RMF Echo (Virus de Laubry x Feo), the Tipperary native was one of 12 combinations to make it through to the jump-off and pulled out all the stops to take over the lead in a time of 37.37 with just three combinations to go.

Mayo’s Cameron Hanley was last to take it on with the 10-year-old Tinka’s Boy-sired Eis Isaura and he too put in a valiant effort to stop the clock in 38.70 seconds to slot into third place and complete the podium. Lynch collected a winners’ cheque for €33,000.

“He’s a naturally very quick horse. He gives his best, and I’m very lucky to have him, so thanks to Rushy Marsh [Farm]. We had a good shot to the last – we had a lucky rub, but you need luck to win like that,” a delighted Lynch said afterwards.

Offaly’s Darragh Kenny won the individual section of Friday’s first round team competition aboard Cassini Z (Cassini II x Capone) to claim €16,500.

Riding for the Paris Panthers, Kenny was the quickest of 19 clear rounds over the 1.55m course in a time of 69.33 seconds, just ahead of Canada’s Eric Lamaze in second (0/ 69.57) and Cameron Hanley in third, again with the consistent Eis Isaura (0/ 71.64).

EXPLOSION

It was a good weekend for London Olympic medallist Ben Maher as he was part of the winning Global Champions League team as well as claiming Saturday’s feature Global Champions Tour Grand Prix.

Riding Poden Farm’s Explosion W, Maher collected €100,000 when racing to the top spot in the 10-horse jump-off to book his place in the Longines Global Champions Super Grand Prix of Prague in December.

The result also sees Maher rocket up the overall rankings to sit on 103 points, just behind compatriot Scott Brash.

The nine-year-old gelding by Chacco-Blue was purchased by Emily Moffitt’s Poden Farm in 2016 and produced briefly by Maher as a seven-year-old before Britain’s Emily Mason took over. With Mason, Explosion W jumped a double clear round in the Nations Cup in Wellington in early March.

Speaking about the horse, Maher said: “He (Explosion W) has always been a good horse, but this year he has really come forward. He has a great character and really enjoys his job and the way he does it, it doesn’t take a lot out of him. He will take a bit of a rest now. We are very fortunate, the Poden Farms team, we have a lot of horses. He is quirky, he has character but he is a very friendly horse and gives 110%.”

LEAGUE TOP

Poden Farm’s London Knight’s team have jumped to the head of the league leader board after taking their second win of the series in Madrid. Maher combined with Moffitt and Nicola Philippaerts to finish on a score of four faults. They are now out in the lead on 92 points, while Bertram Allen’s Valkenswaard United are lying in second place with 76 points.