DARRAGH Kenny took the runner-up spot last Saturday at the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix du Prince de Monaco, when he delivered a double clear aboard Volnay Du Boisdeville.

On the podium, it was the same three riders as in 2021 but with one major difference: the winner. Last year’s runner-up, 48-year-old Austrian Max Kühner, took his revenge on Kenny who had beaten him by 18 hundredths of a second.

Kühner, delivered the winning aboard his 10-year-old Selle Français EIC Corioli des Isles, clear in a time of 35.36, winning by just 34 hundredths of a second. Third place was filled by Olivier Philippaerts and H&M Miro who finished on two faults in the first round in a time of 72.11.

Shane on a roll

Following his big win in the Al’ Shira AA Hickstead Derby, Shane Breen travelled to Monaco to make his presence known there. On Thursday he took fourth place in the 1.45m two phase. Riding Haya, he answered all the questions in a time of 25.30. Later in the day, Darragh Kenny took fifth place in the 1.55m when he came home with nothing to add in a time of 64.34.

Also delivering a clear in a slower time of 66.58 was Kildare’s Mikey Pender and HHS Fast Forward. Winner of the class was Maikel Van Der Vleuten and Elwikke, who clocked 62 seconds.

Last Friday, Shane Breen returned to the line-up to claim fourth place with Haya in the CSI5* 1.45m when he answered all the questions in time of 58.1.

Ballina’s Michael G. Duffy accounted for seventh place when he also delivered a clear with Borelli T, albeit in a slower time of 67.09. Claiming victory was French rider Edward Levy and Confidence D’Ass after they crossed the line in a very fast time of 56.35.

In the proceeding 1.50m jump-off class, Tipperary’s Denis Lynch secured a top-10 finish when he booked his place in the timed round with Rubens LS La Silla. The combination put in the fastest round of the jump-off, clocking 32.85, but it came at a price as one fell on the ground and he had to settle for 10th place.

Family delight

There was more good news for the Breen family as the family enjoyed further success at Hickstead last Friday when Shane’s daughter Darcy Breen was part of the winning Cottesmore School team in the Junior Schools competition at the Hurst College National Schools and Jumping Championships, alongside her cousin Mia Breen (riding Golden Frisky) and their team-mates Orla Burrell-Thompson and Daisy Andrews.