IRELAND’s Darragh Kenny finished on the podium in the 1.60m five-star Global Champions Tour Grand Prix at Miami Beach last Sunday, where Australia’s Edwina Tops-Alexander galloped to victory for the second time.

After just the second leg of the 2018 Global Champions Tour series, the competition is already tipped to make history as both two-time winners Tops-Alexander and Scott Brash are the first riders to qualify for the Global Champions Super Grand Prix in Prague this December.

If either can triumph this season, they will create history as the first rider to accomplish the feat three times.

Five of 35 starting riders, from five different nations, pulled off first-round clears to qualify for the jump-off, with the final two fences hard up along the shoreline side of the arena and towards the in-gate proving particularly influential at the spectacular South Beach venue.

Offaly’s Darragh Kenny was third to go in the second round and posted the fastest time by almost two seconds but the final fence fell for a very unlucky four faults with Ann Thompson’s 11-year-old gelding Cassini Z (Cassini II x Capone) in 30.87.

With just two left, Kenny was guaranteed a place on the podium. Qatar’s ever-consistent Bassem Mohammed and Gunder put in the first clear of the jump-off in a much slower time of 35.47 seconds.

Tops-Alexander had the best draw when last to enter the ring and she left nothing to chance with the talented 11-year-old mare California to break the beam in 32.07 seconds and take the lion’s share of the €300,000 prize-fund. Kenny collected €45,000 for third place.

Speaking afterwards, Kenny came down hard on himself for his ride to the final fence. “I felt super about my horse, he jumped brilliantly today. I was a bit disappointed about how I rode the jump-off.

“I think I could have played it a little bit safer at the last and made the others have to catch me, but Edwina is so fast anyway and Bassem was super [to win] in Doha too, so I thought I had to go a bit quick and unfortunately had the last jump down. I’ve had him about six months and I think he’s going to be a very good horse.”

After two rounds, Britain’s Scott Brash is out in front on the leaderboard with 67 points, ahead of Belgium Pieter Devos with 60 and Tops-Alexander of 54.

GLOBAL CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

The Prague Lions team of Anna Kellnerova (Czech Republic) and Gerco Schröder (The Netherlands) won the second round of the Global Champions League in Miami.

Their finishing score of eight was enough to secure top spot on the podium when both riders cleared all the fences to finish with one time fault each. The winning team are coached by former Irish international show jumper Jessica Kürten.

Bertram Allen stood on the second step of the podium after his team of Valkenswaard United took the runner-up spot.

Allen produced one of only three clear rounds in the competition with Gin Chin van het Lindenhof in 69.57 to also finish in second place individually, while his teammate Alberto Zorzi of Italy picked up a single time fault for a team total of 10 faults, rising from ninth place overnight.

After two rounds, Valkenswaard United sit on top of the rankings at this early stage of the 2018 season.

Miami winners, the Prague Lions sit second while the Mexico City winners, Miami Celtics, are in third.