GALWAY’S Michael Duffy was in fine form when securing two top-five placings at the five-star World Cup fixture at Arcadia in California over the weekend. Following a fifth-place finish on Wednesday, Duffy then finished on the podium in Thursday’s five-star $100,000 1.50m Welcome jump-off class, when steering the nine-year-old gelding BE Sky Hawk into third place.

Of the 57 starters, just 10 kept all the poles intact in the first round, but three combinations withdrew, leaving just seven in the jump-off - six of whom jumped clear again. Duffy’s jump-off time of 37.13 was just shy of Nina Mallevaey (FRA) on Dynastie de Beaufour in second (37.08), with Gregory Wathelet (BEL) on Argentina de la Marchette taking the win in 36.59.