BRITAIN’S Nigel Coupe rode the Irish Sport Horse Golvers Hill to victory in the famous Hickstead Al Shira’aa Derby last Sunday, following a two-way jump-off with Harriet Nuttall, where Irish horses dominated to fill the first four places.

Coupe (46) first rode in the Hickstead Derby in 1990 and has been knocking on the door for a number of years, finishing second in 2015 and fifth 12 months ago. Drawn 16th out of the 26 starters, Coupe was the first rider to produce a faultless round, and for a long time he remained the sole clear.

It wasn’t until the third last combination to go, Harriet Nuttall and A Touch Imperious (Touchdown x Cavalier Royale), that another clear round was recorded and a jump-off guaranteed.

Both riders came back to tackle the shortened course, with first to go Coupe setting a strong pace. But his hopes of producing a clear and putting the pressure on Nuttall were dashed when he had the Derby rails down after the open water.

Nuttall could then risk going for a steady clear, but when the Derby rails caught her out as well she had to kick on – and unluckily the final fence also fell, leaving her on eight faults and in second place.

It’s a position that the 27-year-old has held for three consecutive years in the Hickstead Derby, and she was also second in Saturday’s British Speed Derby with another Irish Sport Horse Silver Lift.

Coupe paid tribute to Golvers Hill (Ricardo Z x Clover Hill), Susan Simmons’ 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding who came to Hickstead on the back of a recent win in the Hamburg Derby Trial.

“If you haven’t got a horse capable you won’t be anywhere near winning. I’m forever indebted to him. He likes the limelight. There are probably better, more talented horses out there but he just loves his job. It’s without a doubt my biggest win.”

Golvers Hill was bred in Co Galway by Patrick Lynch.

Co Down’s Dermott Lennon with Gelvins Touch (Touchdown x Diamond Lad) and Cork’s Billy Twomey (Diaghilev) were the highest placed Irish riders, sharing third place on four faults with Britain’s Holly Smith and the ISH Quality Old Joker (OBOS Quality 004 x Slyguff Joker VII).

Three Irish riders and seven Irish Sport Horses finished in top 10 of the Hickstead Speed Derby the previous day at the famous show grounds.

British-based Derek McCoppin and Whiterock Lucky Lady (Ard VDL Douglas x Touchdown) took fourth place with a clear round in 95.71, just ahead of Liam O’Meara with Curraghgraigue Jack Take Flight (HBC Jacomar x Cordoba) in fifth (97.04).

Paddy O’Donnell filled sixth place with Finnegans Whiskers in a final time of 97.58 after lowering one fence, while O’Donnell also finished eighth with Hey There Delilah (by Boherdeal Clover) in a time of 100.71.

The Irish Sport Horse Silver Lift (Easy Life x Silver Cloud) took runner-up spot with Harriet Nuttall, just behind British winner Matt Sampson and Topflight True Carlo, who produced a blistering round in 92.73.

Derry’s David Simpson had earlier taken the runner-up spot in Saturday’s 1.50m Tom Hudson Derby Trophy. Simpson partnered the eight-year-old gelding Keoki (Catoki x Cassini I), owned by Julia Cruden, to a clear jump-off round in 43.73 seconds.

Waterford’s Peter Moloney finished fourth with the Team Harmony owned Ghana (0/0 49.07) behind British winner Guy Williams with Rouge De Ravel (0/0 43.02). Earlier Moloney claimed the runner-up spot in the seven and eight-year-old championship with Compelling Z, owned and bred by Carmel Ryan, while Michael Duffy finished third with Au Top Des Luthiers.