SLIGO’s Richard Howley claimed a win for the home-side in the second international class on the opening day of the 2022 Dublin Horse Show when he rode the Dutch-bred gelding Fame to the top-spot in the Manton Grange Stables-sponsored Minerva Stakes.

Some 50 combinations lined out for the competition against the clock and 35 of these managed to leave all the fences intact. Howley was the only rider to manage a sub-50 time, crossing the finish line in 49.38 for the win.

Following the win, he told The Irish Field: “He’s a really lovely horse. I’ve had him for nearly two years and he’s won a lot of classes.

“He’s a very nice one to have in your string. He’s quick and is very rideable which makes it easy for me to manoeuvre him. He tries hard which means I can sometimes make tighter turns than the others.

“I think it’s important to have the horses riding well, especially your speed horse because you need to be able to leave strides out when it’s possible and if you don’t have the control and balance you end up making a mistake somewhere.

“Fence one to two was a very forward eight strides and it was a little bit of an awkward angle to get the eight because of the way the jumps were positioned but I managed to get the angle right and from one to two I had one stride less than most.

“Three to four was a very going seven, I was right upon the inside line and he took it on lovely so that was also one stride less. Then from seven to eight there was a very forward eight and I managed to get that early so that was good. It was a very good course that gave the riders options to leave out strides if you had a horse that was rideable enough to do so.

“When you are riding at this five-star level, you can look at a start list of 45 riders and think every single one of those 45 riders can win the class. If you want to win at a show like Dublin, you have to be fully committed from the first jump to set a good pace for the competitors coming after you.

“Alan (Wade) is a great course builder and designs the tracks to give us options to leave a stride out here and there, or maybe turn back, and someone else might not be able to turn as tight as you. You have to map your plan out in your head and know exactly what you’re doing; if you add a stride in where it is not necessary you’re not going to win on that day.”

Britain’s William Whitaker took the runner-up spot in a time of 51.64 riding Jalellah OL (Chaco Blue x Baloubet du Rouet). Egypt’s Nayel Nassar was third aboard El Conde in 52.35, while fourth was Jordan Coyle and Eristov for Ireland in 52.89.

Tipperary’s Shane Breen riding Haya took fifth, and Daniel Coyle riding Ariel Grange’s Ivory TCS were sixth.