Róisín Sheridan

THE SEVENTH and penultimate round of the Irish Sport Horse Studbook show jumping series took place in Tattersalls, with a total prize fund of €9,500 on offer.

Cormac Rafferty emerged as winner of the seven-year-old final with KMR Benzini, a gelding by the stallion Morangold Major, out of the throughbred dam Benzini Belle who is by Colonel Godfrey.

Bred by Carol McLaughlin from Co Donegal, KMR Benzini is owned by Aoife Rafferty, with the Tattersalls win following on from another victory in the first round of the series at Louth in April.

One of only three combinations that recorded a double clear round, they stopped the clock in the fastest time of 33.17 seconds to secure the win.

Edward Butler finished as runner-up with Burnt Again, a gelding by the Irish Sport Horse Ringwood Harley Carol out of the dam Whitehall Mason who is by Ballysimon. Bred by Ronnie Kelly from Co Limerick, he is owned by Michael O’Callaghan and Ronnie Kelly.

Lisa O’Farrell took third place with HHS Faldo, a mare by Heritage Fortunus out of China Cavalier who is by Cavalier Royale and was bred in Co Kilkenny by Marion Hughes.

Top spot in the six-year-old final went to Greg Broderick riding Alberta Mist, previous winners of the Cavan four-year-old championship and last year’s five-year-old finals in Dublin. By the Dutch sire Womanizer, this talented gelding is out of the dam Lisa who is by Landino. He was bred by Ronnie Kelly and is owned by Caledonia Stables.

Runner-up spot in the six-year-olds went to Tholm Keane and Vivian Lee, a mare by the Holsteiner stallion Ars Vivendi and out of True Illusion.

She was bred by Kay Quirke from Co Tipperary and is owned by Ronan Tynan.

Francis Connors slotted into third place with Drumiller Houdini a mare by Clinton, who was bred by Paul Dillon from Co Armagh and is owned by The Grove Group.

In the five-year-old section a total of 11 of the 25 starters jumped a double clear round to share the prize money. The 11 joint winners were: Thomascourt Senna (Mervyn Clarke), Intis (Tom Hearne), Knockrath Who’s Who (Alexander Butler), Hollypark Galloway (Tim MacDonagh), Cruicerath Flexianna (Eddie Moloney), Jay Gatsby (Emily Turkington), Miss Darco (Thomas O’Brien), Castlefield Cass (Gerard O’Neill), Lislan Flamenco (Clem McMahon), KMR Twilight (Cormac Rafferty) and RVS Lui Fortunus (Gemma Phelan).

The final leg of the 2015 Series takes place at The Meadows on August 22nd and 23rd.