Tara Dunne

FIVE-YEAR-OLD

FLEXIble CHAMPIONSHIP

GEMMA Phelan finished her week at the Dublin Horse Show in style when triumphing in Sunday morning’s five-year-old Flexible national championship. Partnering Noel Ryan’s Rvs Lui Fortunus, Phelan proved fastest in an 11-horse decider to clinch victory in the Horse Sport Ireland sponsored €10,000 class.

Phelan had been on-form all week and gave a preview of the performance to come in Thursday’s opening qualifier when taking second place. Finishing just outside of the top three that morning in the six-year-old championship, the Co Waterford rider was keen to improve on this with her five-year-old.

Drawn midway through the jump-off, Phelan set a standard that couldn’t be beaten when recording a clear round in a time of 30.98 seconds, almost two seconds quicker than her nearest rival.

Phelan explained where she found the time saying: “I think the last turn did it, the stride just came up and I went for it.”

By Luidam, Rvs Fortunus is out of the Heritage Fortunas-sired dam Fortunus Lady, the gelding currently lies second in the ISH Studbook series and Phelan is hopeful of selection for the World Breeding Championships at Lanaken.

Next up on the agenda for the pair will be the Millstreet Ruby at the Green Glens arena.

Eddie Moloney with the advantage of a late draw knew where to find the shortcuts on Cruicerath Flexianna but despite a good effort, the Co Kilkenny rider couldn’t get home quick enough to challenge Phelan. His time of 31.96 would however secure the runner-up position.

By Flexible, Cruicerath Flexianna is out of the dam Pannamarenca, who is by Holland and was bred by Gerard Campbell.

Owned by USA Young Jumpers LLC, the mare has been lightly campaigned this season as Moloney was on the injured list but has shown good form on her outings.

Last to go in the clocked round, Jordan Coyle proved fractionally slower trailing Moloney by only three hundredths of a second with KBS July Johnson.

Taking the longer route to the final oxer with Kieran Kennedy’s O.B.O.S Quality gelding saw the clock tick over and record 31.99.

Philip McGuane supplied the first clear round of the competition with the Russell-sired mare Kilderrys Joint Venture. McGuane stopped the clock at 32.20 but slipped down the line-up to fourth.

Peter Moloney delivered the only other double clear round aboard Compelling Z. Moloney steered Carmel Ryan’s Chellano Z-sired stallion round the shortened and raised course in a time of 33.37.

Ger O’Neill filled the final position in the line-up with MHS Tamara.

Playing pathfinder, O’Neill set a blistering pace for the other riders to follow (30.08) but was penalised for his turn back to the final oxer which was left minus its top rail.