CO Wexford’s Bertram Allen made the perfect start to the 2017 Longines Global Champions Tour and League season in Mexico City last weekend.

The highest ranked Irish rider, at number 14 the world rankings, scorched to victory in the opening class of 2017, the five-star 1.45m two-phase competition, aboard Quiet Easy 4. Allen produced a superb round of jumping on the 13-year-old Quidam’s Ruben-sired gelding to cross the line in 26.37 seconds, finishing almost a second and a half ahead of Mexico’s Gonzalo Azcarragato riding Quite Nice (27.59). Allen collected €8,000 for his win.