IRISH Under 25 riders made their presence felt at Saut Hermès in Paris last weekend. Kilkenny’s Seamus Hughes Kennedy won Sunday’s Les Talents Hermes Under 25 1.45m Grand Prix riding ESI Ali and, combined with Nano Healy, the pair finished second in the team competition.

From 20 starters in the two-phase class, Hughes Kennedy broke the finish beam in 43.61 seconds with the eight-year-old ESI Ali (Stakkato Gold x Tygo) who was bred by Ennisnag Stud and is owned by his mother, Clare Hughes.

Healy was also double clear to slot into second place with Oak Grove’s Americana, owned by Osaühing Fort Holding, in a time of 49.67 seconds, which saw the pair finish second behind the Swedish combination of Andre Brandt and Selma Hammarström who finished second and third behind Hughes Kennedy.

Healy was runner-up up in Friday’s 1.40m at the venue. Again riding the 12-year-old mare Oak Grove’s Americana, he was just fractions slower than Sweden’s Brandt to take second place. Hughes Kennedy was sixth in Saturday’s 1.45m with ESI Ali, where victory Jodie Hall McAteer.

Mark McAuley was best of the Irish in Saturday’s five-star 1.50m Prix GL Events, taking seventh place with the Irish Sport Horse mare GRS Lady Amaro (Amaretto D’Arco x Over The River), when they came home clear in 60.90. A blistering performance from the World number one, Sweden’s Henrik Von Eckermann, aboard Iliana, saw them take the win when they clocked 58.84.

On the same day, Denis Lynch took seventh place in the 1.55m jump-off. Riding the Onyx Consulting-owned nine-year-old stallion Dark Chocolate 48, he had one down in a time of 46.83. Claiming victory was Max Kühner aboard EiC Coriolis Des Isles.

Luxembourg’s Bictor Bettendorf thrilled the French crowd when galloping to victory in the €400,000 Grand Prix Hermès on Sunday afternoon. He rode Mr Tac to the fastest of seven clears against the clock, seeing of Dutchman Harrie Smolders and Monaco NOP in second place to earn €132,000.