DENIS Lynch might have been a little disappointed after Saturday’s Nations Cup in Vejer de la Frontera, when Cristello had a foot in the water, but the 13-year-old stallion made up for it on Sunday when producing a fabulous double clear to finish third in the three-star Grand Prix.
It was a positive day all round for Team Ireland with four riders in the top seven of the class, which was eventually won by Britain’s Holly Smith and Denver. Some 18 of the starting 60 made it through to the jump-off, when a further eight produced second round clears.
Smith’s time of 36.76 seconds took the top spot on the podium and €13,325, ahead of Germany’s David Will and C Vier 2 in second (0/0 37.00). Lynch broke the beam in 37.68 seconds with the Onyx Consulting-owned stallion, who won a five-star Grand Prix earlier this season in St Tropez, and the pair led the way for much of the class before finishing third.
After their double clear round in the Nations Cup the day previous, Mark McAuley and the talented Jasco Vd Bisschop once again showed their class to finish with a clean sheet in fourth (0/0 38.34), while Cameron Hanley and the Cian O’Connor-bred ESI Toulouse slotted into sixth when clear in 39.24 seconds.
The final Irish rider in the top seven was Conor Swail aboard Dalco Ltd’s 10-year-old gelding Koss van Heiste, clear in 39.30 seconds.
Victory for Lynch
Lynch got his show off to a good start when he secured victory in the 1.50m class on Thursday afternoon. Riding Spring Dark, he lodged the winning round in 54.61 seconds.
Taking the runner-up spot was Egypt’s Abdel Said and Alanine De Vains after he stopped the clock in 55.48. Also in the line-up was Conor Swail, who accounted for sixth place with Koss Van Heiste, stopping the clock in 60.66.
On the same day, Lynch also led the victory lap in the 1.35m class. Riding Inventa D’Or, he lodged a double clear in 25.86 seconds. He was joined in the line-up by Ciaran Nallon when he partnered I Love You M to a clear in 27.7 seconds, slotting into third place.
Later in the day, Michael G Duffy was best of the Irish when fourth in the 1.45m big class with My Way B & V, clear in 29.04 seconds. Further down the line in eighth place was Mark Auley and Thunder G Z, clear in 29.80.
On Saturday, Duffy improved on that performance as he took the runner-up spot in the 1.45m. Riding My Way B & V, he delivered a clear in 60.51.
The combination were pipped at the post by Italy’s Luca Moneta and Etoile Vd Wijnhoeve Z, who crossed the line in a time of 59.61.
In Sunday’s 1.45m two-star Grand Prix, Dermott Lennon finished fourth with the eight-year-old Irish-bred Athletix Hero Z (Aganix du Seigneur Z x HH Radco), bred by Gerry Marron and Luc Henry.
The pair were clear in 33.24 seconds to earn €2,540. Victory went to Germany’s Guido Klatte and Qinghai (0/0 31.21).
Conor Swail was runner-up in Sunday’s three-star 1.45m aboard Vanessa Mannix’s GK Coco Chanel. The pair were one of 16 double-clear rounds in the big class of 70 starters, breaking the beam in 36.06 seconds to earn €5,000.
Belgium’s Gundrun Patteet and Sea Coast Kashmira Z were just fractions faster to take victory in a time of 35.22 seconds.