Given two chances to put points on the board, Coyle pinned all his hopes on one venue, Ravensdale Lodge, last Sunday. In a carbon copy of 2012 and 2013, the Derry rider won the lion’s share of the €2,500 prize fund, sponsored by O’Reilly Wholesales, with a blistering show of pace aboard Uptown Girl.

“I’m absolutely delighted to win here for the third year in a row and it’s great to see Red Mills come on board this year as a sponsor,” he said after the class, which completed his hat-trick of wins at the venue.

“Going in, I said I was only going to take the one turn which was the last and hope that was enough,” explained Coyle of his jump-off tactics. “I stuck to that plan and it paid off.”

Course designer Ray Buchanan set out the challenge for 40 riders in the opening round. The first two combinations, Daniel Coyle and Isobelle Argentina, followed by Edward Butler and Crosstown Skylight, made deceptively easy work of the track.

However a double of verticals caused plenty of trouble for other riders, while a bending line to the combination at the end of the course left no room for error. In the end, 11 eleven combinations made it through to the timed decider, with Coyle and Kildare International winner Thomas O’Brien making up nearly half that between them.

Coyle played pathfinder with Isobelle Argentina but was out of luck, finishing on 12 faults in a time of 39.37 seconds. While the nine-year-old Argentinus is a new mount to Coyle at this level, the pair are not strangers. The Derry rider qualified the mare as a five-year-old for the WBFSH World Breeding Championships at Lanaken.

Edward Butler matched this score on Crosstown Skylight, albeit in a slower time of 40.39. O’Brien was the first to keep a clean sheet on his second ride, the nine-year-old Numero Uno-sired Amaretto. This time O’Brien took the tactical approach, securing a steady clear in 49.71 to secure a provisional lead.

Brian Duff and Floryda showed just how many seconds could be saved on shorter routes by finishing in 37.30. However he collected four faults at a tall vertical midway through the course.

Coyle returned for his second attempt with the Baloubet Du Rouet stallion, Esprit Van De Hoenderheide. Making it home inside 38 seconds, Coyle added four faults at the second part of the combination.

Jordan Coyle and VDL Cassius faulted at the same obstacle and also had a refusal, giving them eight faults in a sedate time of 46.45.

Kenneth Graham put in a very fast time of 35.58 with Lenamore Donnatella but had to settle for sixth place after the last fence came down.

Liam O’Meara managed to go even faster with his own Mr Coolcaum, recording 35.27, but the last fence came down to deny them the win.

At this point, O’Brien returned to the ring with Ullrich. Showing the form that saw him win at Kildare International, O’Brien went clear in 39.96 to occupy first and second at that point.

Conor McEneaney was the first to challenge O’Brien’s one-two position with the eight-year-old Cavalier Royale stallion Moonlite Cavalier. Having been placed at the first two legs of this tour, McEneaney continued to impress by delivering a faultless round. However the local rider was fractionally slower than O’Brien, at 40.00.

Last to go was Coyle with his third mount of the evening, Uptown Girl. Coyle clearly had the pace well measured, with finishing with seconds to spare in 37.21.

Coyle retains his lead in the Spring Tour, on a total of 20 points, with O’Brien right behind him on 18 points at this early stage.

This weekend will again give riders two chances to accumulate points, with the league heading to Wexford EC today and on to Killossery Lodge tomorrow.

Earlier in the day, John Floody won the 1.20m class with Carroll Produce Ltd’s Padarco gelding Castleroche La Roche, logging a double clear in 35.02 to clinch the victory. Taking the runner-up position was Ryan O’Neill with Roxborough Jimmy Choo, while another local rider, Aoife Kelly, finished third with Carte D’Or.

April McCrea won the 1.10m with Baby Blossom, ahead of second-placed Isla Savage and Least Said and Philip McGuane and Dressed in third place.