BILLY Twomey claimed the TheraPlate UK Liverpool International Grand Prix for a remarkable third time in four years at the M&S Bank Arena on New Year’s Eve, ending his year on a high note.

The British-based Cork native won the class with Diaghilev in 2016 and 2017 and scooped just over €30,000 on Tuesday when winning with Kim Barzilay’s 10-year-old home-bred Kimba Flamenco. Shane Breen won the class 12 months ago meaning no other nation has ever won the Grand Prix at the relatively new venue.

Irish course designer Alan Wade built a tough course for the four-star showdown, with just five producing clears in the first round. The clears were joined by three four-faulters from the first round but it was only Twomey and 18-year-old Jack Whitaker who could produce double clear rounds.

Twomey was early to go against the clock, but his time of 40.93 seconds aboard the Je T’Aime Flamenco gelding was good enough to win by almost two seconds. British Tokyo hopeful Holly Smith and Hearts Destiny produced the best time of the class in 39.61 seconds but a fence down meant they had to settle for third.

Mikey Pender produced the only other clear round in the jump-off with Isabelle De Mello’s Verdict de Kezeg and finished in fifth place on a total of four faults from the opening round. Pender has temporarily taken over the ride on the 10-year-old Diamant de Semilly gelding from Susan Fitzpatrick who is sidelined through injury.

Amazing feeling

“To win the Grand Prix three times here is amazing,” Twomey said afterwards. “My horse jumped fantastic. He has been close to doing something in the last couple of shows, and finally it has paid off for me and him here.

“I am delighted for the owner and everyone involved with the horse. A win always helps everything. He is extremely talented. He has won a CSIO five-star Grand Prix in Falsterbo, so he is winning at every level.

“The course builder (Alan Wade) is probably the best course builder on the planet. He made it difficult enough that it wasn’t a giveaway to anyone. You needed to jump the course. It wasn’t a rat-race.

“In the jump-off, I tried to put it up to the rest of the riders. Sometimes when you go early, you don’t really know, but thankfully I held on to clinch the win.”

Twomey took over the ride on Kimba Flamenco at the end of his seven-year-old year. The 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games is on his radar. “I think he has all the ability. He jumped in Barcelona and we had a bronze medal with him two years ago.

“I am [looking towards Tokyo]. I have another couple of horses that potentially would be candidates for that – a stallion Chat Botte, a mare Balulu, and Kimba so I have a pretty strong string.”

It was also a memorable night for Jack Whitaker, son of British Olympian Michael, who collected almost €19,000 for his efforts.

“It’s a massive end to the year. The last few months, we have been a bit unlucky with one fence down here and one fence there, but he has come good tonight,” Whitaker said.