DENIS Lynch collected a €100,000 pay cheque on Sunday when finishing runner-up in the €500,000 Rolex Grand Prix in Dinard, France, where victory went to the Tokyo Olympics-bound Martin Fuchs (Switzerland) with Connor 70.
A total of 44 combinations started over Jean-Francois Morand’s 1.60m track at the stunning venue and just seven of those managed the kept a clean sheet and go forward to the jump-off.
First to go with the 10-year-old gelding Connor 70, Fuchs set the standard with a time of 42.67 seconds which couldn’t be beaten and he landed the top prize of €125,000. Lynch came close to Fuchs with Cristello, crossing the line in 42.83 seconds, ahead of Germany’s Christian Ahlmann and Clintrexo (0/0 43.30).
It was Connor 70’s first time jumping a five-star Grand Prix. “I have been riding him for only eight months. I think he is one of the best horses I ever had a chance to ride,” Fuchs said, adding: “In the warm-up arena, Steve Guerdat encouraged me to give it a try, even though I was going first.”
Second-placed Denis Lynch was delighted with his 14-year-old Numero Uno stallion. “I haven’t been to Dinard in 20 years. I am thrilled with my second place. Cristello is a fantastic horses that I have been riding since the end of 2019 and he has already been very successful. He won a Grand Prix in St Tropez last year and lately he has been in great shape. He is not only powerful but very quick and smart.”
Coyle placed
Derry’s Daniel Coyle had a good show in Dinard. With Ariel Grange’s Oak Grove’s Carlyle, he finished third in Friday’s five-star 1.55m with a double clear round in 47.05 seconds. Victory went to Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann and Glamour Girl (0/0 45.08) and Scott Brash finished second with Hello Vincent (0/0 45.56).
Coyle was fifth in the opening day’s 1.45m aboard the 11-year-old mare Legacy, before finishing 11th in Sunday’s Grand Prix after picking up four faults in the first round.
Three-star win for Lennon
Dermott Lennon was also in action at the venue, and he won Thursday’s three-star 1.45m Table A aboard the Irish Sport Horse MJM Pursuit. Owned by MJM (IOM) Holdings and bred by Cyril Ferguson, the 12-year-old is by N-Aldato out of a Limmerick mare. The combination were the fastest of 12 clear rounds in 69.73 seconds, with almost a second to spare over French runner-up Margaux Rocuet with Dubai du Cedre (0/ 70.60).
Lennon was second in Saturday’s Derby competition with another ISH, the John McCann-bred Gelvins Touch. They picked up four faults in 172.23 seconds to earn €9,000. Victory and the only clear round went the way of Belgium’s Andrea Vereecke with Die Gute Folia. Christopher Megahey finished sixth with Braveheart when they finished with 11 faults.
Megahey finished seventh in Friday’s three-star 1.50m with a clear round in 76.86 seconds aboard the nine-year-old mare E-Maitresse TVH Z.