SARAH Ennis and Joseph Murphy, who finished second and third behind Ian Cassells in the featured EI120 class at Lightsource BP Tyrella (2) last Saturday, both struck at EI115 level at the Co Down seaside venue.

Murphy’s victory came in the EI115 (Open) on board the Hanoverian gelding Choclat who had finished fifth of 34 at the same level at Tyrella (1) two weeks earlier. The combination was lying 10th following Vanda Stewart’s judging of the dressage phase but picked up just two time penalties across the country for a winning total of 37.9.

On her seasonal debut, Camilla Speirs finished second with BT Angelo whose completion score of 38.1 included four cross-country time penalties while the dressage winners on 32.3, Sarah Ennis and Dourough Ferro Class Act, who were second here at Tyrella (1), slipped to third with the addition of two cross-country time penalties and four show jumping penalties.

Three combinations beat the clock across the country while two of the 24 starters were eliminated on this phase and one retired. No other jumping penalties were recorded over the fixed fences.

“I’m delighted that he’s back on track,” said Murphy in reference to Choclat, the 12-year-old son of Contendro I who is owned by Annette O’Callaghan, Richard Ames and Alan Bell. His only appearance last season came in September at Ballindenisk where he finished 18th (of 30) in the CCI3*-S. “All being well, he will do the four-star short at Ballindenisk later this month and then the four-star long at Millstreet. However, it will all depend on the going as he is really a summer horse and wouldn’t like bottomless ground.

“I was very impressed with the courses Adam (Stevenson, the cross-country course designer) produced on Saturday and am full of admiration for him. While having changes from Tyrella (1), he resisted the temptation to beef the fences right up but, keeping them up to height, he took into account the fact that horses were having just their first or second runs of the season.”

Had he been asked, Murphy would no doubt have commented favourably on the straightness of the dressage arenas which were built with military precision by Stevenson’s father Jim.

Win for Ennis

Sarah Ennis rode five horses on Saturday – Grantstown Jackson who finished second in the EI120, Dourough Ferro Class Act who was third in the EI115 (Open) and the trio of seven-year-olds, Diamond Fusion, Stellor Deelite and Silken Icon, who placed first, fourth and fifth in the 12-runner EI115.

Rosie Gomes judged the EI115 dressage and her converted scores ranged from the 19.1 penalties she awarded Ennis and the ISH gelding Diamond Fusion to the 29.8 awarded to Co Wexford’s Patrick Whelan and Ikoon Lan DHI who eventually finished seventh.

Two cross-country time penalties saw Ennis complete on 21.1 with Eilish Arkwright and Sarah Odlum’s grey Tullabeg Fusion gelding Diamond Fusion who was having just his second start at this level. She beat the cross-country time on Silken Icon but picked up 13.2 show jumping penalties to complete on 35.5 with the Colandro gelding, a place behind Stellor Deelite whose total of 35 included 5.2 cross-country time penalties and eight for show jumping.

The only other rider to finish inside the time over the fixed fences was Ennis’ sister Nicola who did so on her thoroughbred gelding Dawn Arrival. Unfortunately, 2.4 time penalties in the concluding show jumping phase denied Nicola victory over her sibling. She was however delighted with her eight-year-old Dawn Approach gelding who she had to retire at Tyrella (1) due to an issue with her tack.