DARRAGH Kenny’s Balou du Reventon never touched a pole over three huge rounds of jumping at the Global Champions Playoffs in Prague last weekend.

The incredible 13-year-old Cornet Obolensky-sired stallion finished second in Saturday night’s €1.25 million Super Grand Prix, earning €250,000 and adding another big accolade to his already near-flawless season.

Speaking to The Irish Field, Kenny said he was delighted with the horse, but annoyed after collecting one time fault in the first round of the class. “I was disappointed that I had the time fault in the first round because the horse felt unreal. I had the time fault, so I said okay I have to keep it together.

“He felt in amazing form. I was just so happy he was jumping so well,” he added of Ann Thompson’s stallion, who was jumping his first big classes since the FEI Nations Cup Final in Barcelona, where he helped Ireland qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

A second time fault in round two was good enough to leave them in second place on the podium, just behind Ben Maher and Explosion W.

Japan is the firm aim for Kenny and Balou and they will keep the routine much the same as this year in the lead up. “He will do Geneva now and that is him done for the year. He won’t go to Florida this year. The plan worked out well last year, we didn’t bring him to Florida, we kept him in Europe and aimed completely at the European championships so we will do the same this year and the main aim will be Tokyo,” said Kenny, who spends the beginning of the year at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington Florida.

His other horse, the 10-year-old Contact van de Heffinck-sired Romeo 88 who is also owned by Ann Thompson, jumped clear in two rounds of the GCL Super Cup. He has high hopes for the gelding. “I think he going to be a super horse for the future. He only stepped up late this year, he is really getting in a good place. I will use him in the Top 10 final in Geneva, I am very excited for that,” said the world number eight.