Judith Faherty

DUBLIN’S Darryl Walker made the long journey to the west worthwhile when claiming the second round of the Horseware/TRM Premier Series Grand Prix, sponsored by Devenish Nutrition, at the Ballinasloe Showgrounds in Co Galway last Sunday aboard Riverside Ace.

Double-handed in the jump-off, Walker beat off 17 combinations with the Ringwood Construction Ltd-owned 12-year-mare by Hermes De Reve, on whom he took up the ride late in 2015.

A delighted Walker said afterwards: “I wasn’t expecting so many to go clear in the first round, but there are so many competitive horses now, any of them could go clear. I was lucky enough to get my two horses in and the first horse (Cushions) was a bit unlucky. She just got a bit flat and had a couple down, but Riverside Ace was really super.

“She’s only 15.3hh but super quick. She was produced by Alexander Butler, he did the age classes with her, but she hasn’t been doing much lately. I had her for six months last year and she is only back in the yard for the last four weeks so it’s a bit surprising, but great, to get the win.”

He continued: “I am hoping I will secure a slot for the internationals in Dublin, but there are a lot of talented riders and horses so you don’t know who is going to come out on top. I will continue to follow the league, I am away for a week when I go to Hickstead, so I don’t know if I miss a Premier that weekend, but other than that the plan is to follow these classes.”

Paul Duffy built a testing track for the 38 starters, but it didn’t stop almost half of the field jumping clear in the first round. The turn back to the penultimate vertical at fence 12, and the four strides down to the final fence, caused problems throughout the day. Rebecca McGoldrick, Vincent Byrne, Ger O’Neill and Damien Griffin all faulted down the final line.

Dermott Lennon made the trip from Banbridge in Co Down and recorded a clean sheet, only to finish on one time fault with Gelvins Touch, keeping him out of the second round.

Some 18 combinations did made it through to the jump-off round. Liam O’Meara played pathfinder over the shortened and raised track aboard Mr Coolcaum. Always quick against the clock, O’Meara set off at a good pace only for the vertical at fence 14 to fall for four faults in a time of 43.16 seconds.

Locally based Lisbeg Farm-rider Jenny Rankin was next into the arena riding Richard Bourns’ Baccarat. The young rider recorded the first double clear of the day with a classy round in 43.53 seconds and held onto the lead, which was eventually good enough for second place, for a considerable amount of time as the next eight riders all faulted.

The next clear came from another young rider, Philip Carey riding Kieran Carey’s Hip Boy, opting for a steady round, crossing the line with a clean sheet in 48.50 seconds to finish in eventual fourth place. Jordan Coyle was unlucky to have fence four on the ground in the jump-off round but put the foot to the floor to clock the fastest time of the day (40.14) and finish in sixth place.

Ger O’Neill produced another lovely clear on Eamonn Murphy’s eight-year-old Dondoctro Ryal K but wasn’t fast enough to trouble the leader and settled for fifth place in 52.73.

Kildare’s Neal Fearon, who was rushing back to join Bruce Springsteen in Croke Park, followed on Niall Talbot’s Billy On Time. Just stepping up to this level, the Billy Congo-sired eight-year-old produced a superb round in a time of 48.39 seconds to finish in third place.

Fourth-last to go, Walker and Riverside Ace set off at a blistering pace and a good turn back to fence four saw him up on Rankin’s time. He galloped to the final oxer and although experiencing a momentary scare mid-air, Walker broke the beam in 42.28 seconds, shaving over a second off the leading time and going into the lead.

The final three riders all faulted in their bid to catch Walker’s time. Young rider Aoife Dooley aboard Sandra Lennon’s Calgot Hero, the combination that placed sixth in the opening round at Louth County, finished with the first part of the double on the floor, while last to go, Francis Connors, looked set to challenge with Erne Lady Goldilocks when the final fence fell for four faults in 42.72 seconds, slotting into eighth place.

The next round of the TRM/Horseware Premier Series moves to Galway County Show on Sunday, June 19th, following the decision not to hold a leg of the league at Mullingar International this weekend.