FACING into three days of cross-country commentary at Millstreet, Chris Ryan immediately replied yes when asked if he would run an Eventing Ireland one-day at Scarteen last Sunday when the scheduled fixture at Clyda was cancelled.

“Sue (Ryan’s wife) thought I was mad and it was a fair old challenge in the timeframe to get everything ready, especially as we were in Millstreet for a full three days,” said Ryan. “However, we managed it and I got the length into the track by starting in our Derby Arena then sending riders out into the big field towards the road, into another field and then back to the Arena. We had some nice undulations and I think we placed the fences well.

“We were very lucky in that there was a lot of rain on Thursday night and then we agrivated the ground on Friday. A lot of riders came up to us and said how pleased they were with the going which makes the effort worthwhile. As I had a lot of work to do on the day, I gave my voice a rest and left the commentary to Clare Ryan and Tim Corballis.

“I enjoyed the two Try Eventing days we ran here last year under the Eventing Ireland banner and I think Scarteen is ideal for Try Eventing and training days where pressure isn’t being put on young horses. I’d like to see Eventing Ireland bring those Try Eventing days back again.”

Treble for Whelan

One rider more delighted than most that the Ryans decided to stage this one-day event was Patrick Whelan who won the three main non-restricted classes.

“I had five horses entered at Clonmahon on Saturday, and they all went well thank God, but have a lot more to get out so I was very disappointed when I heard Clyda was off,” said the Co Wexford rider. “It was great that the Ryans went ahead with this event and it was even better for me given my results.

“The ground was good for this time of year and the cross-country course was well-presented and very educational for a young horse in particular.”

Whelen got off the mark in the opening EI105 which he landed with the Irish Sport Horse gelding MBF Silver Bridge, completing on his Ann Glynn-awarded winning dressage score of 29.3 penalties. For good measure, he also finished fourth on Kilroe Lego Land whose total of 37.4 included time penalties in both jumping phases.

Daniel Alderson, who also recorded some good placings at Clonmahon House, finished second here with Kelley Hutchinson’s HSH Nacho (35.1), who was making his seasonal debut, while Michael Ryan placed third on Gerry O’Reilly’s Fabia HSH (35.3) who has having his first start at this level. Only two of the 15 starters had a problem on the cross-country course.

“This was just my second time to compete (MBF) Silver Ridge who arrived in my yard in May,” revealed Whelan. “He belongs to Carrie Meehan who lives in America and had been produced for her over the past couple of years by Nicola Ennis who did a very good job with him. He’s a six-year-old by Silvano out of a thoroughbred mare and we’ll now try to get him qualified for Le Lion.”

Dressage scores

There were 11 starters in the EI100 and here three of the top four completed on the dressage scores they had been awarded by Marie Hennessy.

The trio were the Whelan-ridden Ideal Spirit (28.8 penalties), the Ann O’Grady-partnered six-year-old Ballingowan Notorius (30.3) and the Sian Coleman-ridden Ballyvonare Rascal (32.3), a five-year-old newcomer by Luidam. With four show jumping penalties, Jason Doerflinger slotted into third on the first phase winner, Galwaybay Dynamite (30.5), an eight-year-old Diamant de Semilly gelding who was having his second start under Eventing Ireland rules but has 36 Show Jumping Ireland points to his credit.

Ideal Spirit is a six-year-old British Sport Horse gelding who Whelan owns in partnership with Julie Radden. By the recently-deceased Upsilon, the Zoe Warren-bred grey is out of the Prince Of Darkness mare Princess Freye who, under the name Staying Cool competed at the old CIC3* level under Australia’s Brook Staples having previously been ridden by Matt Ryan.

“He has been out three times before but this was easily his best performance to date,” said the rider. “He’s a real nice horse but a bit behind for six. I’ll move him up to novice shortly and then we’ll see about qualifying for Le Lion.”

There were just seven starters in the EI90 where Whelan filled the top two places with his own and Michael Widger’s Carraiganard Obie (30.8 penalties) and Widger’s Carraiganard Conor (31.3). Both four-year-old ISH geldings, who were making their debuts, completed on their dressage scores.

“We actually bought the winner from Julie Radden while Michael bred the other fellow himself,” commented Whelan. “They are two very nice horses who will be back at Scarteen (on Tuesday next, June 20th) for the Young Eventhorse Series qualifier. The aim is to get both of them to Dublin.”

Carraiganard Obie, who is by Lagans OBOS Quality, was bred in Co Clare by P.J. Roche out of the Rehy High Society mare Newtown Star who was out of a Cruising mare. Carraiganard Conor is by Condios out of the Touchdown mare Currabawn Touch, a half-sister to the Salluceva gelding Currabawn Champ (CIC2*).

On their third start as a combination, Co Clare’s Megan Perry won the EI80 (Q) on board the 16-year-old ISH mare Gortmore Cailin Rua. From September 2013 to October 2016, this daughter of Temple Clover was campaigned by Meike Biegel who, in partnership with Ciara Murphy, bred the chesnut out of their Triggerero mare Lis An Uisce. On Sunday, Perry and Gortmore Cailian Rua were the only pairing to complete on their dressage score (40.8 penalties) in the 10-runner class where half of the starters failed to complete.

Sunday’s programme also included the usual amateur and youth classes along with training classes at EI100, EI90 and EI80 levels.