IT proved a fruitful weekend for Mikey Pender as he took the win and sixth place in the second round of the 1.40m SJI National Grand Prix in The Meadows last Sunday. Along with his good results in the Grand Prix, he also claimed victory in the seven-year-old ISH Studbook class with the Tim Brennan-owned GCS Athena.

In the Grand Prix, the Kildare rider led the victory lap with Gortlettra Loui when he crossed the line clear in 39.02 seconds, and finished sixth with MHS Cardenta.

Gortlettra Loui is an eight-year-old gelding owned by Bravo Hughes and was bred by Patrick Duffy. He is by Luidam out of the Clover Echo-sired Gortlettra Echo Rose. This combination had demonstrated their talent earlier in the month when claiming victory in the TRM/Showjumpers Spring Tour in Barnadown. The gelding was bought by Marion Hughes last year from John Mulligan and was also campaigned by John McEntee.

Speaking after the win, Mikey Pender said: “It was a fantastic weekend with both horses being in the line-up in a competitive class. Both horses are just eight years old so I am delighted with this result. The course was technical but very jumpable. The course designer did an excellent job on the course designing, especially in the studbook classes.

“Young horses vary now in terms of mileage with shows being off, but on the first day he built the course to ease them in to going bigger on the Sunday. The Meadows did an excellent job adhering to the regulations and it all ran very smoothly.”

Regarding the jump-off, Pender added: “I had gone early with Gortlettra Loui and I had done the best that I could in terms of shaving off seconds. I knew I had to keep a close eye on Deane Rogan and Brendan Murphy as they are always quick against the clock. With MHS Cardenta, which I jumped towards the end of the class, I didn’t push her as I didn’t see the need.”

This was Pender’s third Grand Prix win since returning from Vilamoura. He won the Spring Tour legs in Barnadown and Mullingar. His plans are to take in the next round at Galway Equestrian this weekend and he hopes to travel shortly with the aim of competing in the Global Champions Tour in Cannes in June.

Down to the wire

A total of 45 combinations lined out to take on the Aaron McCusker-designed course. With riders up to the challenge, 14 delivered clears first time out and of those, 10 maintained clean sheets against the clock. In the end the class went down to the wire with just 0.13 of a second dividing the first two places in the line-up.

Going early in the class, Deane Rogan set the target of a clear round in 39.15 with the eight-year-old De L’Oiseliere and this performance would later prove good enough for second place. Owned by Declan McGarry and bred by S.C.E.A. De L’Oiseliere, the French-bred gelding is by Kapitol D’Argonne out of Miss Flight.

Always one to watch, Clem McMahon put in a calculated round with Hilton Farm-owned Hilton Banner, but despite a quick pace, a clear in 41.07 would see him take third place. McMahon had impressed earlier in the season when claiming the TRM/Showjumpers Spring Tour leg at Cavan. Bred by Gerard Kelly, Hilton Banner is a nine-year-old gelding by Je T’aime Flamenco out of Daytime Cruise.

Tim MacDonagh slotted into fourth with Hollypark Galloway when he kept all the poles in place in a time of 42.07. Bred by John McCann and owned by Jackie Lee, Hollypark Galloway is a 11-year-old by Castlelawn Galloway out of the Diamond Lad-sired Whitestown Diamond.

A familiar face in the winner’s enclosure in The Meadows, Jonathan Smyth didn’t hang about with Mulvin Lights Out, and a clear in 42.86 saw him slot into fifth place. Owned by Noletta Smyth and Roy Craig, this impressive nine-year-old gelding is by Luidam out of the Baron De Chantepie-sired Castleconnor Baron. Bought as a three-year-old out of Goresbridge Horse Sales, Smyth has produced the horse from a four-year-old up to this level.

Not content with the win, Mikey Pender returned to take sixth place with MHS Cardenta when clear in 43.71. Owned by Marion Hughes and bred by Galway show jumper Olive Clarke, the eight-year-old mare is Cardento out of Willow Point (Diamond Serpent). This combination had also won a leg of the Spring Tour earlier in the month at Mullingar Equestrian Centre.

Win for McGarry

Winner of the 1.30m class was Declan McGarry delivered a double clear aboard Orphus in 34.24. There was nothing between the placings as Clem McMahon took second with Lux Excel when they clocked 34.39, ahead of Nicole Kershaw and Avalent in 34.83. Fourth belonged to Stephen Bolas and Diamond Bosco, who kept all the poles in place in 35.21. Slotting into fifth place was Kerrie Kerr and Marblearch, clear in 35.96, while in sixth place were Nicholas Bothwell and Always On My Mind, clear in 36.55.