Riding Unesca, McMahon took home the lion’s share of the €10,000 on offer in the Silverbirch Hotel/Powers Whiskey sponsored class.

Speaking after the win, McMahon said: “I am delighted with the result as it’s the first Premier Series win in two years. It has been an uphill road, but it’s great to be back at this level again. I am very lucky to have a good owner like Debbie Curley. It is often difficult to attract outside owners and I could do with a few more like Debbie, as you need a few good horses to compete at the top level”.

Unesca is a 10-year-old Danish-bred mare by Cassini II and out of Linette. New to Mc Mahon stables, the mare was competing in her second Premier Series of the season. The combination proved consistent at the three internationals which they have so far competed in, Balmoral, Mullingar and Bolesworth. The mare was campaigned by English rider Nicole Pavitt before McMahon took over the ride.

International course designer Paul Duffy set a fair track which, in the first round, included a double, water tray and a combination towards the end of the course. With riders well up to the task, 12 of the 38 starters maintained clean sheets to proceed to the timed-round.

In the jump-off, Duffy allowed riders to make up time in a series of turn backs. Time could be made up in the turn back from fence one to two, then in the turn back to the double and finally in the turn back from the oxer across the arena to the penultimate vertical.

“The course was up to height, and it needs to be, to keep the standard in Premier Series class high,” remarked McMahon. “There were a lot of short distances throughout the course, which tested riders. The turn back from one to two was tricky, so it demanded a bit of riding. The ground at Omagh was very good which always helps when jumping at this level.”

First to go in the jump-off was Thomas O’Brien’s with Amaretto but his hopes of a win were dashed early when faulting at the first vertical. Not deterred by the error, he maintained the pace throughout the course and finished in a fast time of 43.54 seconds.

The first double clear came courtesy of Captain Geoff Curran riding Mullaghbane. Curran started off strongly, taking a tight line from fence one to two. This, matched with a tight line to the double, saw him clock 40.65 to take the lead.

Edward Butler and Cornet Son also delivered a clear, albeit in a slower time 43.97, which was enough for eventual fifth place.

Double-handed in the jump-off, Alexander Butler got his first look at the course with the speed merchant Vimminki. Butler was up on time at the mid-way point but four faults at the first part of the double ruled them out of contention. They finished in eventual seventh place on a time of 39.43.

Greg Broderick and Going Global also looked set to challenge the lead but four faults at the last oxer, in a time of 41.70, meant that they had to settle for eventual ninth.

The only lady rider in the jump-off, Emily Turkington executed all the tight lines but failed to catch the leader. Her time of 41.74 put her into provisional second and later into eventual fourth.

Winners of the qualifying round, Gerard Clarke and Horseware Ardragh Stein clearly had another win in mind as they set off in a blistering pace. Clarke was the first of the riders to take the inside line to the double. This risky turn back saw the combination finish in 41.42 and third place ahead of Turkington in the line-up.

Alexander Butler returned with Monastery Road, but things didn’t go quite according to plan for the pair, who picked up 12 faults.

Next in, Clem McMahon meant business from the start, the rider’s experience showing as he made up time with a series of well-executed turns. The Monaghan rider crossed the line in 40.17 to take the lead and demote Curran into second.

Local rider Peter Smyth and Victoria Rose had looked to be in contention but four faults at the first part of the double and then at the rustic fence across the arena saw him finish outside the top 10.

Kilkenny’s Eddie Moloney and Chatsworth Dan had an unlucky four faults at the first fence, but Moloney kept his foot to the floor and lodged a fast time of 39.18 for sixth place.

Last to go with Drumiller Lough, Captain Michael Kelly knew what he needed to do to demote McMahon. However four faults at the second fence ruled him out of a podium finish and his time of 40.24 good enough for eighth.

The standard in the qualifying round on Friday proved equally as high, with 20 of the 58 starters securing a place in the jump-off. From the 18 combinations that battled it out, eight of these delivered double clears.

Taking the honours was Gerard Clarke riding Horseware Ardragh Stein. Clarke left his rivals behind as he scorched home in 41.55 to claim the winner’s share of the €4,000 in the Tyrone Farming Society-sponsored class. Little stood between first and second place as Captain Michael Kelly and Drumiller Lough were just fractions behind (41.62) in the runner-up spot.

Returning from international duty, Alexander Butler was keen to record a win on home soil a good effort saw him finish in 42.09 with Riverside Ace for third place. Butler also occupied fifth place with Monastery Stud More Pleasure (44.69).

Thomas O’Brien played it safe with Amaretto and it paid off as he lodged a clear in 43.95 for eventual fourth place. Kildare native Edward Doyle, riding his homebred stallion Samgemjee, was next fastest of the clear rounds, finishing in 44.80 for sixth place.