SORCHA Hennessy’s Dothraki Warlord and Derek McConnell won Saturday’s feature class in Balmoral, The Underwriting Exchange 1.40m National Grand Prix.

The eight-year-old gelding by Mermus R, out of Tiamo Diamant (Diamant De Semilly), has collected points this year at previous rounds in JAG, Cavan and Killossery but this is his first Grand Prix win and, according to Hennessy, there should be plenty more in the youngster’s future.

“We are completely delighted with the win. Myself and Dad were watching it online because we couldn’t go to the show with the current restrictions. When he did his round in the jump-off, Dad couldn’t even watch, we were so nervous!” Sorcha Hennessy told The Irish Field after her horse’s victory.

“We’ve had him since he was a three-year-old and we knew even back then that he was something special. He is a big strong horse and both Derek and I are big Game of Thrones fans so when we were coming up with a name for him we thought of Dothraki; they are the horse lords in the show and Warlord because he is a strong, leader type.

“We have eight horses in work with Derek at the moment and are really enjoying how they are progressing. When I was growing up my Dad, Tom, used to be into the thoroughbreds and we went racing a lot but then I began show jumping and trained with Derek and we gradually began to move over to the half-bred side of things.

“Dad has a great eye and we now have built up a string of really nice horses. Our Prefix MTH stands for Mathew Thomas Hennessy, Dad’s full name. He doesn’t like the limelight but we felt that seeing as so much of the success of our horses comes down to him that he should have centre stage in the prefix.”

The family currently have five siblings to the winner. “We have Dothraki Warlord’s dam Tiamo Diamant and have her four-year-old by OBOS Quality, her three-year-old by Tyson, a two-year-old by Baloubet de Rouet and a yearling colt by Kannan. This year’s foal is by Columbus Z. They are all big and strong, just like him, so it’s very exciting seeing what’s in store for them. She is currently in foal to HHS Cornet.

“We can see great things for Dothrak in the future and think he can go all the way to the top. We have always had people interested in him and asking about him but we are just enjoying watching him progress and want to see this through all the way. We leave all the decisions with regard to the horse’s progress up to Derek. We trust him completely to do what is best for the horse and know that he will never rush them,” Sorcha added.

Competitive affair

Some 61 combinations lined out for the Sloan family-sponsored class which offered a €4,000 prize fund. An even 14 made it through to the jump-off against the clock. McConnell proved fastest of these stopping the clock at 40.48 to secure the win.

Second place went to Jonathan Smyth and Richard Smyth’s Charlton Clio (HHS BR Charlton x Clover Hill) over a second and a half slower in 42.33. Smyth is currently leading the league with his other mount Crystal Tom on 28 points, but McConnell’s win now has him snapping at his heels on 24.

Third went to Philip Gaw and his own Luidam x Harlequin Du Carel mare Ardnacashel Coovella in a time of 42.33. Suzanne Posnett and her mother Pamela’s 10-year-old Dutch-bred mare Foesuela slotted into fourth place with the only other double clear round.

Kate Derwin and his father Francis’ AHG Whiterock Cruise Down, the combination that would go on to win the following day’s 1.50m Premier Grand Prix, made one mistake on this occasion and it cost them the class. They broke the finish beam in a very fast 37.78 but with four faults to add they had to settle for fifth place.

Another young rider, Brendan Murphy, riding Alan Robertson’s Immun Ocean Ogara also posted a time that would have beaten the winner but with a fence down he was demoted to sixth.

In fact, a total of four combinations posted faster times than the winning one - Paul Carberry (Brandonview First Edition) and Tim MacDonagh (Hollypark Galloway) included - but they too made mistakes to finish seventh and eighth, respectively.