“THIS is a fabulous venue with fabulous courses which really do question if the horse you’re riding is an eventer,” commented Declan Cullen who won the EI115 at Castle Irvine, Necarne last Saturday on his Irish Sport Horse gelding, Ultimate Quality.

The 2014 OBOS Quality 0004 bay, who was winning for the first time since landing the EI110 for six-year-olds at Punchestown in October 2020, was lying fifth of 13 on 33.7 after the David Lee-judged dressage phase. However, he recorded one of just three double clears and, with the addition of 13.2 cross-country time penalties, won ahead of the Edie Murray-Hayden-ridden Sandyhill Ceol (50.1) who had two fences down show jumping in the stunning ‘Walled Garden’.

Elizabeth Power led after dressage with Oakland Quality (30) but the Co Meath combination picked up 20 penalties at the new Irvines Sawmills Drawbridge fence at four where Antowoj, one of the Castle Irvine team, ensured good footing on the ‘bridge’ throughout the class. In the early stages, course designer Vina Buller kept a close eye on proceedings here before heading to other sections of the course.

“I am delighted with my horse,” continued Cullen. “He really pulled me around there and I think his run here last August, when he finished third in the seven and eight-year-old class, was the making of him as he went on to be fifth in the CCI3*-L at Blair before heading to Le Lion d’Angers. I’d like to take him to the eight and nine-year-old class at Blenheim or head to Blair or Boekelo.”

Referring back to the track, Cullen added: “Okay, the ground was very soft in places out there after all the rain that fell yesterday but you ride accordingly and that was a great course today, making great use of the hilly terrain. Eventing is going through a difficult time at present and the powers that be need to make sure that events such as this, and Glenpatrick last week, are given every encouragement.”

Amanda Goldsbury made her first EI outing in May a winning one when leading the EI115 (Open) throughout on Nicola Roden’s ISH gelding Fernhill Inspector whose total of 37.5 included 7.6 for time across the country and four for a pole down show jumping.

Goldsbury has the Tinaranas Inspector 11-year-old entered in the CCI3*-L at Millstreet while the short-format class at the same level is the target of HSH Has It All. That Puissance bay finished second (42.9) here under Tramore’s Heather O’Connor who was delighted to have had the opportunity to ride the FEI test.

Only three of the seven entries in the EI110 (Open) completed with the honours comfortably going to Clodie Coen and her father Martin’s ISH gelding Union Fortunus. This was a first win on her seventh start for Coen with the 14-year-old Heritage Fortunus bay who was brought back to Ireland with 345 British Eventing points to his credit.

Two of the leading young horses in the Northern Region topped the leaderboard throughout the 12-strong EI110. On this occasion, it was the Alex Houston-ridden Atlantic Rockstar (43.5), a home-bred seven-year-old Beach Ball gelding, who won ahead of the Rachael Thompson-partnered Govalent (44.2).

The related Turley, O’Connor and Napier families moved en masse from Co Down to Castle Irvine, Necarne on Friday evening and the trip was made all the more enjoyable when Elaine O’Connor recorded her third EI100 victory of the season on Helen Fletcher’s 13-year-old Cyrano gelding, Sir Barnabus.

Despite a fence down show jumping, Co Meath’s Caroline Lynch won the 20-strong EI90 class with her six-year-old Golden Lariat mare Quora, who was having her third outing of the season. Lynch was the happy recipient of a £100 Horse First voucher provided by staunch Northern Region supporter, Paddy Hughes.