IRISH riders added to their tally of top results last week in the Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida, USA, with wins for Darragh Kenny and Richie Moloney.

The Irish dominance began when Offaly’s Darragh Kenny took victory with Vlock Show Stables’ Gasper van den Doorn in $35,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 10.

From the 78 starters, 17 went into the jump-off and the combination proved fastest of eight double clear rounds in 38.13 seconds.

Gasper van den Doorn is new to Kenny and will later be campaigned by his student Teddy Vlock.

PATRICK’S DAY

On St Patrick’s Day, three riders filled the top six placings in the 1.45m speed class. Kilkenny’s Richie Moloney took the top prize in the $35,000 Illustrated Properties-sponsored class aboard the LLC’s owned Slieveanorra (ISH).

Course designer Michael Valliancour set the track for the 66 combinations and, from those, 21 clears were delivered. Using his late draw to his advantage, Moloney lodged the winning time of 64.81 seconds.

Second to go, Julie Welles (USA) and Alexander LLC’s Ryanair de Riverland took the lead when stopping the clock in 65.33 but this held only temporarily as Laura Chapot (USA) with her own and McLain Ward’s Quointreau un Prince topped that time in 65.04 seconds.

Cork’s Shane Sweetnam finished fourth with Buckle Up, while Kenny also took sixth with Vragance Manciaise.

Last Sunday, Galway’s Andrew Bourns partnered CHS Inception into sixth place in the $35,000 Suncast Classic 1.50m classic. Bourns was almost sixth seconds off the winner Laura Chapot and Quointreau Un Prince, clear in an unbeatable 40.43.