IRISH riders made their presence felt at South View’s recent development classic show, as Suzanne Posnett, Mennell Watson and Dean Wilson accounted for six wins over the three days. Despite getting the ride on Callumbus just two days before the show, Dean Wilson claimed two early victories with the Cassini II nine-year-old.

“After doing some local show jumping with his owner Darcey Wilkinson, he was sent in to us to be sold. He is a very forward horse who turns easily and we had to be pretty handy everywhere to stand any chance of winning a ribbon,” said Wilson, whose first victory came courtesy of a very acute tight turn-back to the final vertical where Callumbus neatly picked up off barely one stride.

“All the classes proved very fast and the jumps-off tended to be tight between fences, but this chap stuck to his job all the way through,” added Wilson who headed the 1.10m and newcomer classes on the opening two days.

The Kilkenny rider added to his South View ribbon-haul when All Faith MF finished fifth in another very strong newcomer jump-off.

Suzanne Posnett also made a productive visit to South View, the Ulster rider firing through the beams to win on three occasions.

Posnett’s first victory came in the 1.25m on the opening day.Riding Maxim Van Overis Z, she overtook the pace setters Mennell Watson (Outcast) and Chelsea Skelton (Caramba) in some style, when producing a very risky turn.

“I wasn’t planning to attempt the turn at all, especially on the first day, but when I saw [first to go] Keith [Shore] pull it off I thought I had no choice,” said Posnett.

A day later it was the turn of Zinniz Roundthorn to take the honours in the 1.20m.

“All the classes were pretty hard fought and after playing it a bit too cool with her the first day I wasn’t going to hang around this time.

“There were some nice open distances and a tricky turn inside to the final line, but once that was out of the way I let her roll on to the final oxer,” added Posnett.

Roundthorn added a second victory the next morning when a stunning turn to a troublesome water tray saw Posnett post the fastest double clear.

Posnett also picked up several more places including sixth spot in the winter b&c qualifier riding Queen Of Clubs.

Ulsterman Mennel Watson paid his first visit to South View for a while, the Midlands-based rider having a very good show with Whisper In The Wind and Outcast.

These two stallions dominated the top places in the 1.30m class on the second day, the pair finishing first and third ahead of a strong field.

After setting the pace with Outcast (by Russel) who was best British-bred stallion at the Addington breeding championships in 2011, Watson used his last draw to best advantage to win the class with the eight-year-old Whisper In The Wind, who is homebred at Euro Sport Horses by Watson and Helen Van Heyningen.

The son of Cobretti was the 2015 seven-year-old champion at Northcote young horse championships, he was also a Talent Seekers finalist at Birmingham last October and as a six and seven-year-old he was placed at the Lanaken Young Horse Championships.

“Both horses want to win as much as I do,” quipped Mennel.

Paul Kennedy and his boss Dave Quigley were also in action at South View, Kennedy narrowly missing a Royal International ticket when I Chanel Von Worrenberg finished third in the winter B&C where the top two combinations qualify for Hickstead.

Kennedy has been riding Rowland Fernyhough’s mare since November, the pair consistently in the ribbons in major classes.

Over an almost top of the wings track set by Mark McGowan, Kennedy jumped into second place half-way through the 14-strong jump-off field in the winter b&c, but was edged out of the qualifying places by the last rider on the track.

Very happy

“She jumped a lovely double clear and I went as quick as I dared so I was very happy with the result,” said Kennedy, who started the eight-year-old mare in her first Grand Prix a day later, four faults at the water tray oxer earning them fifth place.

“It was a difficult course and a big step up for her, so I wasn’t disappointed,” concluded Kennedy, who was also placed in the Foxhunter riding Luienne Q.

After enjoying a good show at South View, Dean Wilson hardly had time to rest on his laurels as he was back in action at Aintree International EC a few days later, where Oligar Angelus finished fifth in a 44-starter two-phase Foxhunter.

“We were early on the course so we had to take a risk or two, but this horse has a long stride and is quick on his turns, so it was easy to save time everywhere,” said Wilson, who on what proved to be a marathon day then produced lots of clear rounds from a growing string of younger horses for his boss Emerson Tough.

Last weekend, Callumbus maintained his winning form for Wilson at Northcote Stud where the pair won the Foxhunter class.