TIPPERARY’s Greg Broderick crowned an excellent week at the two-star Mediterranean Equestrian Tour in Oliva, Spain, by finishing third in Sunday’s Grand Prix with the 10-year-old mare Dabelle.
Riding Gretchen Johnson’s grey Nabab de Reve-sired mare, Broderick was one of 11 clears in the first round of the 1.45m class, designed by Spain’s Elena Boix. He was among seven second-round clears and his time of 40.87 seconds earned him third place and €4,500.
The well-related mare joined Broderick’s stable 12 months ago and is also part of the breeding programme at Ballypatrick. She comes from a long line of 1.60m jumpers, counting the Olympic silver medal winner London as a full-brother.
The combination won a four-star class at the sunshine tour in Vejer de la Frontera last month.
Victory in Sunday’s Grand Prix went to Brazil’s Pedro Veniss and the 13-year-old mare Anaya Ste Hermelle in a time of 38.70, ahead of Britain’s speed merchant Laura Renwick with Dublin V (0/0 39.42). Kildare’s Niall Talbot made it through to the jump-off aboard Caracter, but eight faults saw him finish in ninth place.
Broderick galloped to two victories last week and the first of those came in Thursday’s 1.45m Table A aboard SRB Stables LLC’s 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse LVS Wizard (Cobra x Diamond Lad), who was bred by Joseph Owens.
He won in a time of 62.32 seconds to collect €2,500. Veniss slotted into second place with For Felicila (0/ 65.90). Monaghan-based Clem McMahon placed sixth with the ISH Carrow Indoctro, Eamon O’Brien’s eight-year-old home-bred gelding by Indoctro. That combination placed fifth in Saturday’s 1.45m jump-off class when jumping a double clear round.
EXCITING MARE
Broderick then took victory in Saturday’s one-star 1.40m Grand Prix aboard the eight-year-old Diamant de Semilly-sired mare Babel.
Just four combinations made it through to the jump-off round and Broderick broke the beam in 43.35 seconds, over two seconds faster than his nearest rival, Brazil’s Pedro Junqueira Muylaert. Clem McMahon finished in eighth place with the seven-year-old Irish Sport Horse Hilton Up The Banner (Je t’Aime Flamenco x Cruising).
“Brian Cassidy owns half of her (Babel) with us. We bought her in France as a three-year-old, Cass produced her and then she came back to my place to do embryos and now I am jumping her on.
“I don’t have her long, but she is a real nice mare,” Broderick said about the exciting international prospect.
Among his other results were two runner-up finishes with the 12-year-old gelding Charmeur in a 1.35m and a 1.40m. Among other Irish winners at the venue was Niall Talbot, who won a two-star 1.30m with the 16-year-old gelding Kobold v. Schlösslihof CH.
Max O’Reilly Hyland won Saturday’s 1.30m Accumulator class with his own eight-year-old gelding Babar de Bussy, when scoring the maximum 65 points in a time of 50.58 seconds. He also slotted into third place with his other mount, the experienced Ahmed du Calvaire.
Mayo’s Alex Duffy scored two young horse class wins aboard Eva Müller’s six-year-old mare Diarados Girl TW. The first win came in Wednesday’s six-year-old 1.25m, where Duffy was the fastest of just two clear rounds against the clock.
Clem McMahon slotted into third place with Hilton Farm and John Connoly’s Tjm Amour Fou (ISH).
Duffy and the Diarado’s Boy-sired mare then won Thursday’s two-phase class in a time of 38.08 seconds. McMahon was again third, this time aboard Gary Mc Namara’s Legaland Team Spirit (ISH), and fifth with Tjm Amour Fou.