IRELAND’S Kevin Babington had a string of top results at the Silver Oak Jumper Tournament in Massachusetts last week.

Babington took second place in the $75,000 Agero Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon. Built by Ireland’s Alan Wade, some 34 combinations started over the track, described as testing by the Irish rider.

However, he managed to guide two of his mounts through to the second round, Double O Seven 7 and Debra Wycoff’s Super Chilled (ISH).

Double O Seven 7 incurred four faults against the clock to finish fourth, and Super Chilled, an eight-year-old by Gelvin’s Clover, who was bred by Cheryl Broderick at Ballypatrick Stables in Co Tipperary, went two places better with a clear round to finish in second place behind America’s Callie Smith, their time 45.59.

Riding her own Attention Et Z, Smith was recording her first Grand Prix win and is trained by Irish show jumper Paul O’Shea.

Kilkenny’s Richie Moloney and Button Sitte produced a flawless clear jumping round in the class, but four-tenths of a second over the time allowed kept him out of the jump off.

hat-trick

Earlier in the week, Babington produced a hat-trick with three mares in three different classes.

That winning streak began with his own Cariatide in the $4,000 1.40m class.

First to go in a field of 27 starters, the pair advanced to the jump-off and came out victorious with the best time of 38.81, just ahead of Cloe Hymowitz on Baritchou Dbt.

He also rode Darkness Z (ISH), by Darco, to a win in the six-year-old division, before guiding Call Me Ruth, another Irish Sport Horse by Luidam, previously ridden in Ireland by Clem McMahon and Sean Monaghon, to victory in the seven-year-olds.

To top a fantastic week, Babington was crowned the 2016 Silver Oak Tournament Carling King leading rider award, an accolade which meant a lot to the rider who piloted the great jumper.

Another Irish rider, Limerick-born Paul O’Shea won the $5,000 seven-year-old YJC qualifier with Eddie Blue.

Aidan Killeen was another to impress at the Silver Oak Jumper Tournament when storming to victory in the $7,500 speed derby with Casanova PB. Killeen’s mount is a nine-year old Dutch Warmblood gelding who arrived at his Skyline Stables just two months ago. This was Kileen’s first time showing the horse for his client.

A delighted Killeen said afterwards: “Alan Wade is an amazing course designer. The course from start to finish was just kind of galloping and the horse is quite big across the ground, so he was well suited to it.”