Tara Dunne

WITH all eyes on the league leaders in the penultimate round of the Horseware/TRM National Grand Prix League, Emily Turkington stole the spotlight at the Meadows EC Summer Championships with a decisive victory aboard her own Legend in Saturday’s €5,000 feature class sponsored by Henry Murray and Co.

The final rider in an 11-horse decider, Turkington came home over a second faster than her nearest rival, Francis Connors.

Turkington said: “I jumped Willem at the halfway point and he was very fast but had the last fence down, so I knew what I had to do with Legend. He is a fast horse and he’s been thereabouts on his last few outings. He really produced the goods on this occasion.”

Turkington executed her plan to perfection and came home with time to spare when the clock showed 40.23 seconds.

The Cookstown-based rider also took fifth position in the line-up as the fastest four-faulter, with the aforementioned Willem recording a time of 38.97.

The 11-year-old Okkie Trooi-sired Legend was sourced locally, produced by northern rider Amy Black and brought slowly to this level by Turkington. Coming into his own this season at 1.40m level, he jumped some good rounds in the National Grand Prix League at Tattersalls and Omagh, as well as finishing in the top 10 in Connell Hill.

Turkington commented: “I’m very happy with the result. The horses haven’t jumped since Dublin, this is their first show after a little break and they all jumped great.”

Leaderboard

Connors’ second place finish with the 11-year-old Lux Z-sired Hyperion, clear in 41.83, could prove to be an important result. His eight points gained see him move up the leaderboard to occupy joint-second position heading into the final round on September 11th.

Jack Ryan proved next fastest on the day. Riding the Glidawn Diamond mare Cavalier Teaca, the junior rider wasn’t too far off the pace when the clock stopped at 42.01.

Alexander Butler supplied the only other double clear round on the day in 45.11 with Rincoola Rua. A new mount for Butler, the nine-year-old Diamant de Semilly mare has plenty of previous form under Butler’s brother Edward.

Vincent Byrne completed the top six with Caugherty, incurring four faults in a time of 40.75. Occupying pole position on the leaderboard, Byrne put a bit more distance between himself and nearest rivals Ger O’Neill and Francis Connors but remains within reach on 58 points.