CORK’s Billy Twomey was unfortunate not to come away with a win from the five-star Longines World Cup show in Verona, scored two runner-up finishes at the Italian venue.

Twomey was second in last Saturday’s feature 1.55m BMW jump-off class, collecting over €12,000 when riding the 13-year-old gelding Diaghilev, owned by Terry Payne.

Twomey was one of seven riders to make it into the jump-off, producing the second fastest double clear round in 37.13 seconds.

The world’s top-ranked lady rider, France’s Penelope Leprevost, took the winner’s prize with Flora de Mariposa, when stopping the clock clear in 36.40.

Twomey was also second with the Joe Flynn-bred Ardcolum Duke (ISH) in a 1.50m speed class at Verona (0/57.09), won by Belgium’s Olivier Philippaerts and Ustina Sitte (0 56.27).

Meanwhile the Irish-bred Limestone Grey (ISH), ridden by Italy’s Lorenzo De Luca, was second in a 1.55m jump-off (0/0 36.39). The 2006 Try Time (KWPN) gelding is out of Millpark’s Courageous Lady (ISH) and was bred by Limerick’s David Moran and is owned by Stephex Stables.

Tipperary’s Shane Breen and Millfield Ultymate were fourth in the 1.50m accmulator (65 points 49.19), where Leprevost again proved unbeatable with Nice Stephanie (65 points 48.18).

Galway’s Michael Duffy and ESI Hazel were second in the Young Riders Academy U25 1.40m class (0/58.86), won by France’s Robin Muhr and Unforgettable Damvil (0/56.79).

Duffy was also fourth with Castleforbes Talitha in a 1.45m speed (0/56.90), in which Shane Breen was ninth with Ispwich van de Wolfsakker (0/68.47), with victory going to Italy’s Juan Carlos Garcia and Moka de Mescam (0/54.26).

WORLD CUP HONOURS

Meanwhile, Tipperary’s Shane Breen and Golden Hawk were the sole Irish representatives in the five-star World Cup feature class. They completed round one with an unfortunate fence down although a 15th place finish saw Breen add two points to his league total to keep him in ninth place overall on the table after four rounds.

Egyptian Abdel Said took victory, netting over €43,000 with Hope van Scherpen Donder in the unbeatable time of 37.96 seconds.

Said (27), who runs a coaching business near Antwerp, Belgium, set the winning time when third to go in the 13-horse jump-off with his feisty mare Hope van Scherpen Donder, and not even the world no. 2, France’s Simon Delestre, could answer him.

There were 10 clears from the first 21 riders over Uliano Vezzani’s track, but then only three more of the 37 starters managed to make the cut into the jump-off. The younger generation really shone when Swiss rider Martin Fuchs (24) produced a careful clear with Clooney to slot into third, while Sweden’s Douglas Lindelow (25), did likewise with Zacramento to finish fourth.

Said commented: “My mare has won three Grand Prix but not at this level. She’s only nine and she doesn’t have mileage like most of the horses in today’s class, but I trusted her,” said the rider.

The next round of the 13-leg series will take place in Stuttgart, Germany, tomorrow (Sunday).