DANIEL Coyle began week two of the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida, exactly where he left off, racking up another win aboard Cita in Thursday’s WEF Challenge Cup. Incredibly, this was the 22-year-old’s fourth win of the circuit, which only kicked off last week.

The second leg of the Challenge Cup saw 119 entries jump in the first round, and the class was split into two sections due to the large numbers. Twenty-eight horse and rider went clear over the first round, and 20 of those clocked double clear rounds.

With a California split to award two winners, Guatemala’s Alvaro Tejada jumped Agroprosa’s Voltaral Palo Blanco to the win in section A with the quickest time of the day in 40.82 seconds. Coyle was close behind in 40.86 seconds to claim the B section with Sue and Ariel Grange’s super consistent 13-year-old Holsteiner mare.

America’s McLain Ward and Contessina Della Caccia placed second in section A with their time of 40.94 seconds, ahead of Swiss rider Beat Mandli and Grant Road Partners’ Zander in third on 41.44 seconds. Emily Moffitt and It’s Real Love vd Smis Z, owned by Poden Farms, finished second in section B in 41.01 seconds, while American lady Laura Chapot guided Mary Chapot’s Irish Sport Horse ISHD Dual Star (Quick Star x Concorde) to third place honors in 41.47 seconds.

Speaking after the win, Coyle said: “I actually was planning not to go crazy today. I just went forward from the first jump and tried to stay the same pace. I did eight strides to the double, but it wasn’t crazy. She is naturally very quick. I have only ridden her a handful of times and she is brilliant to me, so I have to be very happy. She is a real winner, and I really hope she goes well on Saturday night as well.”

The Derry show jumper also guided Sue and Ariel Grange’s Simba de la Roque to victory in Wednesday’s $6,000 Illustrated Properties 1.40m speed class.

A former mount of fellow Irishman Conor Swail, the 11-year-old Kannan-sired gelding jumped the quickest clear round in 52.11 seconds to pick up $1,850 prize money.

Swail picked up a third place finish in the $8,000 1.45m class aboard Quibelle (0/57.83), while Sligo’s Darragh Kerins finished sixth with S&L Through The Looking Glass (0/62.74). The class was won by Hardon Towell aboard Cadence (0/55.11).