TIPPERARY’S Kevin Babington was the best placed Irish rider in last Sunday’s four-star $216,000 Ariat Grand Prix held on the beautiful grass derby field at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Centre in Wellington, Florida, during week four of the Winter Equestrian Festival.

Riding Debra Wycoff’s Irish-bred Super Chilled, Babington was the second fastest four faulter in round one to finish in fifth place in a competition which saw only three riders advance to the jump-off.

The nine-year-old gelding by Gelvin Clover, out of Ballypatrick Codex, was bred by Cheryl Broderick in Co Tipperary and was produced by her brother Greg to win the six-year-old championship at the Dublin Horse Show in 2014, before being sold to America.

USA’s Todd Minikus emerged the winner over Steve Stephen’s track aboard the big-jumping Babalou 41 (Balou de Rouet x Silvio I). He was joined in the jump-off by Jennifer Gates and Spain’s Sergio Alvarez Moya.

First to go in the three-way jump-off, Gates guided Evergate Stable’s Pumped Up Kicks through the short course in a steady time of 51.28 seconds, incurring two time faults to earn the third place prize. Alvarez Moya followed with Unicstar de l’Aumone, laying down the gauntlet in 40.30 seconds. Last to go, Minikus raced through the timers in 38.79 seconds to claim the win comfortably and collect $71,280.

Minikus was awarded the Village of Wellington Cup, and Babalou 41 earned the Champion Equine Insurance Jumper Style Award, presented by Laura Fetterman.

Captain Brian Cournane faulted just once in the opening round to place eighth on the Irish Sport Horse Javas Keltic Mist (ARD VDL Douglas x Clover Hill), who was also produced in Ireland by Greg Broderick.

The first week of five-star competition kicked off this week, the highlight being tonight’s $380,000 Fidelity Investments Grand Prix under the lights.

O’Connor seventh

MEATH’s Cian O’Connor guided Seringat to seventh in Sunday’s $216,000 three-star World Cup Qualifier at Deeridge Farm in Florida. O’Connor was one of 10 clears in the first round but lowered a single pole against the clock, coming home in a time of 42.38 seconds. Egypt’s Nayel Nassar took the win aboard Lordan with the fastest of five double clear rounds in 38.15 seconds.

Sweetnam close

CORK’s Shane Sweetnam picked up two top-three placings in the $35,000 1.50m Suncast Classic at the Winter Equestrian Festival. Sweetnam guided Cobalt to second place with a double clear in 39.92 seconds, pushing his second mount, Main Road, into third place (0/0 40.56). Kevin Babington took fourth place aboard Super Chilled (ISH) (0/0 41.87). USA’s Kent Farrington claimed the win aboard Sherkan D’Amaury (0/0 39.54).

Sweetnam was also in the top 10 in the $35,000 1.45m class, finishing sixth aboard Beezie with a clear round in 57.95 seconds. His employee, Newry show jumper Lorcan Gallagher, finished in seventh with Belize D’ive Z (0/ 59.75). Chile’s Samuel Parot won with Dazzle White (0/ 53.65).