MONAGHAN’s Clem McMahon was runner-up in last Sunday’s two-star Grand Prix at the Autumn tour in Oliva, Spain.

Riding the Hilton Farm-owned Irish Sport Horse gelding Hilton Pacato (Pacino x Cavalier Royale), McMahon was one among nine to make it through to the jump-off, where Italy’s Alberto Zorzi set the early target with the stallion Cinsey.

His lead was short-lived when The Netherlands’ Wout-Jan van der Schans rode a quicker round of 43.70 to take over the lead. Then came French rider Melie Gosa on Alouette d’Eole – the pair that picked up a victory in Friday’s Grand Prix qualifier. Leaving nothing to chance, they crossed the finish line in 39.68 seconds, pushing van der Schans down to second and Zorzi to third.

McMahon and Pacato tried hard to catch the French rider, but Gosa’s time was unbeatable. With a time of 41.60 seconds and all the poles in place, McMahon had to settle for the runner-up position, and €6,000 with the gelding who was bred by Peter Rice and was in excellent form on the national circuit in the summer.

Good form

Other Irish riders in good form at the show were Niall Talbot and Peter Moloney. Talbot was runner-up in Thursday’s two-star 1.30m aboard Mamzelle vh Marienshof, when they clear in 66.78.

The Swiss-based Kildare native was also runner up in Sunday’s 1.40m, this time riding Sharan O’Byrne’s 10-year-old gelding Corvette Van Overis Z, when he crossed the line with nothing to add in 29.57. He was beaten into first place by Germany’s Kathatina Offel with Elien (0/0 29.03).

Waterford’s Peter Moloney finished third to also round out a good show for the England-based rider. He guided the Ridgeway Farm Stud-owned Happiness to a double clear in 29.76, while Clem McMahon slotted into sixth place with the eight-year-old Diamant de Semilly-sired Irish Sport Horse TJM Amour Fou, who is owned by Hilton Farm and John Connoly.