DARRAGH Kenny’s current run of incredible form continued at the five-star Global Champions Tour in Chantilly, France, last Saturday when he galloped to a stunning Grand Prix victory.
Kenny scooped €99,000 in prize money aboard Anne Thompson’s 13-year-old stallion Balou du Reventon (Cornet Obolensky x Continue) in Saturday’s feature 1.60m class. The victory came just two weeks after the pair won the five-star Grand Prix in Knokke, Belgium. Saturday’s victory was Kenny’s first ever Global Champions Tour Grand Prix win.
Thompson was in Chantilly to see her horse take victory. Commenting on the win, Kenny said: “He is an incredible horse and always wants to be clear and tries so hard. My owner (Anne Thompson) was here, she is an amazing owner.
“I knew I had to be really fast with so many good riders after me. He is really careful so I knew I could trust him. I really wanted to win it,” he said, adding that qualification for the LGCT Super Grand Prix in Prague in November was a huge motivator.
“I am very relieved. The qualification for Prague is amazing. Prague was an incredible event, one of the best shows I have ever been to. To have the opportunity to compete for that kind of prize money and prestige is amazing.”
Just six combinations made it through to the jump-off of Uliano Vezzani’s course, which featured a troublesome Longines treble, a bright blue water jump followed by a wide oxer and a delicate GC Plank vertical.
“He saved me”
Kenny was first to return for the second round and laid down the target with an incredible gallop to the final fence, which saw him get deeper than he wanted. However, crucially, they were clear in a time of 37.54 seconds.
“I wasn’t really happy with myself because I messed up the line to the last oxer. I went really fast and I don’t think he knew what was happening and then I thought I had a distance but I didn’t and he really saved me,” Kenny said reflecting on the run to the final fence.
“I really like Chantilly, I knew it’s a good arena for my horse who really loves big grass tracks like the one here or at home in Dublin.”
He then had an anxious wait when five top riders followed. Defending champion Nicola Philippaerts was next with H&M Chilli Willi and despite a brilliant clear, they were slightly slower in a time of 38.13 seconds.
Belgium’s Christophe Vanderhasselt was also clear with Identity Vitseroel in 39.80 seconds which would see them finish fifth, and teammate Gregory Wathelet set off at pace with MJT Nevados S but a refusal at the penultimate fence meant he had to settle for sixth.
The French crowd were hoping that one of the final two – Kevin Staut or Penelope Leprevost – would spoil Kenny’s party. Staut produced yet another clear with Urhelia Lutterbach but his time of 38.38 was only fast enough to slot in behind Philippaerts.
Last into the arena, Leprevost had all the pressure on her shoulders with Vancouver de Lanlore. They were slower at the split time and despite a valiant turn to the penultimate fence and a galloping chance at the final fence, they could not beat Kenny’s time but did overtake Philippaerts to slot into second place in 38.08 seconds, to her delight.
Kenny’s attention now moves towards CHIO Aachen this week with a different group of horses, as Balou, who is being aimed at the European Championships in Rotterdam, gets his well-earned rest.
McAuley second
Co Louth’s Mark McAuley was second in the opening 1.45m class on Friday. A total of 21 combinations produced clear rounds and McAuley’s time of 66.05 seconds with Eva Lundin’s Miebello was good enough for second place, and €5,000, behind Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer and Balou Rubin R (0/ 65.75).
Kenny finished third individually in the opening round of the Global Champions League (GCL) 1.55m Table A. He guided Anne Thompson’s Romeo to a clear in 69.57 seconds. Bertram Allen and Molly Malone V finished in fifth place. Victory went to Frenchman Julien Epaillard (0/ 65.09).
Allen collected €18,660 when he slotted into second place individually in the second round of the 1.55m GCL with Harley vd Bisschop. Allen teamed up with Germany’s Marcus Ehning to finished second in the team competition for Valkenswaard United.
Victory went to the Berlin Eagles team of Christian Kukek and Ludger Beerbaum who were the only team to finish on a score of zero over the two days. The Miami Celtics team have taken over the lead of the series with 221 points, just three points ahead of the Shanghai Swans.
Eoin Gallagher finished fourth in Sunday’s two-star 1.40m Table A. Riding Oakingham Stud’s nine-year-old stallion Flugel M, Gallagher posted a time of 69.96 seconds. He also placed seventh with Davinci vd Bosrand Z. Victory went to Frenchman Thibaut Jouanneteau with Accroche Toi (0/ 69.66).