ALEXANDER Butler secured an excellent runner-up finish in last Sunday’s three-star 1.50m Grand Prix in Vilamoura, Portugal, aboard Tirnaskea Stud’s nine-year-old Pico, just beaten to the top place by Brazilian winner Eduardo Menezes.

Just six of the starting 60 made it through to the jump-off in the week’s feature class and from those, a further three manages to produce a second clear round. Menezes and H5 Chaganus posted the winning time in 38.96 seconds, followed by Butler with the nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse.