BUSINESS student Emma McEntee continued her good run of recent form in Barnadown last weekend when winning the seven and eight-year-old HSI class, which boasted a lucrative prize fund of €4,000.
Younger sister of Grand Prix winner John McEntee, Emma is a full-time Business Management student in Belfast and is kept busy with horses on the side. She guided Miguel Bravo’s seven-year-old gelding MHS New York to another big win, which came off the back of winning the prestigious Hankook seven and eight-year-old final in Cavan recently.
Bred by Thomas Brennan, the gelding is by Quidam Junior out of the Cavalier Royale-sired Cavalier Kells.
On this occasion they proved best of the 11 combinations who managed to stay fault-free over both phases of the two-phase class.
Their time of 34.38 was just ahead of runner-up Francis Connors and the eight-year-old Erne Mountain Dew in 34.78. By Lux Z, Erne Mountain Dew is owned and bred by Hugh Fitzpatrick out of the mare Erne Blaze (Aldato).
Third place went to Kevin Gallagher riding Noel Cawley’s seven-year-old Jacarina. Bred by the owner this mare is by Jack of Diamonds out of Lissarina (Cruising). They stopped the clock at 34.93.
It was another fourth place for young Adam Carey, this time with another one owned by the Hughes family, MHS Cardenta. Bred by Olive Clarke she is by Cardento out of Willow Point (Diamond Serpent).
Tadhg Beecher and the seven-year-old gelding Loughnatousa Castlefield (Flex A Bil x Mohill Cavalier Clover) were fifth, while Francis Connors and his second mount, Anne Clancy and Mary Gannon’s gelding CSF James Kann Cruz (Kannan x Cruising), completed the line-up in sixth.
Young horses
The HSI-sponsored four-year-old competition attracted 28 starters with exactly half of those going on to jump double clear to divide the top prize. The standard of jumping in the HSI five-year-old competition was also extremely high, with 19 of the 26 starters jumping double clear to share the €3,000 przie fund.
There was also €3,000 also up for grabs in HSI six-year-old competition, where victory went to Jason Higgins with Creevyquinn Pearl (Cardento x Coraland), who was bred by Stephen and Elisha Reilly and is owned by Michael Condon.
Ger O’Neill filled the runner-up position with Tim Brennan’s GCS Ita (by OBOS Quality x Numero Uno), ahead of Adam Carey and GCS Athena (Vigo d’Arsouilles x Numero Uno) also owned by Tim Brennan. Both mares were bred by Olivia Brennan out of the 1.50m jumping mare MHS Attraction.