IRELAND’s Clare Abbott partnered a winner on both of her appearances at Millstreet in 2021 and last weekend kept up her good strike rate when she landed the Foran Equine CCI3*-S on DHI No Fear, her only ride at the June international horse trials.

The ground jury for this 42-runner class comprised Portugal’s Anibal Marianito (C) and Ireland’s Joan Ahern (B) who had Abbott and Sarah Riley’s Holstein gelding sharing third place after dressage with New Zealand’s Tim Prince on Polystar I (30.5). At this stage, the lead was held by Ireland’s Adam Haugh on Van Thee Man (29.7) with his compatriot, Ian Cassells, next best on Rosconnell Alto (30.4).

Haugh’s reign at the top of the leaderboard was short-lived, as Van Thee Man had two fences down show jumping, while Cassells picked up a costly 5.2 time penalties across the country to finish in third with Rosconnell Alto (35.6) whose stable-companion, Shanaclough Quality Clover, climbed from eighth after dressage to place fourth (36.7).

Ireland’s Sam Watson fared even better as he jumped up 10 places following the flatwork phase to claim the runner-up spot with Ballyneety Rocketman whose total of 34 included 0.8 of a time penalty over the cross-country course where four combinations were eliminated and one retired.

Despite being seven seconds over the time on the final leg, for 2.8 penalties, Abbott and DHI No Fear moved up into first place on a total of 33.3. While clear show jumping, the Price-ridden Polystar I dropped to 24th with the addition of 25.6 cross-country time penalties.

Special mention must go to Ireland’s Lucca Stubington who recorded the only double clear inside the time to place fifth with her mother Georgia’s Quingenti (37.8). The unraced thoroughbred, a winner of a CCI2*-L at Bicton back in 2019, is a 12-year-old by the German-bred September Storm who used to stand with Quingenti’s breeder, John Kidd, but is now on the stallion roster at Liam Lynskey’s Derryronane Stud in Co Mayo.

While Abbott was delighted with her win, there was a bit of a downside as owner, Sarah Riley, was an absentee. “She followed the action as much as she could online and was very excited about the result,” said the Hillsborough rider. “While DHI No Fear was purchased for Sarah’s daughter Izzy to compete, she has been too busy graduating from college, starting to work and travelling.

“I was given the ride on the horse for the full year and, while he is a bit behind his nine-year-old contemporaries having been produced slowly, it’s now time to crack on with him. He is very consistent and professional and, while bred to show jump (by Nonstop out of the Contendro I mare Aparte), he is good in every phase and does everything he’s asked.

“Nothing is set in stone but I’d like to move him up to four-star at the Kilguilkey international at the end of July and then aim him at Ballindenisk or Boekelo or the age class at Blenhein. He has such a good attitude that I think he’ll take it all in his stride. He’s a cool dude who jumps and jumps.”

It’s unusual for Abbott to have just the one horse at an event so she was happy to travel down to Millstreet with Rachael Thompson who, on her international debut, finished second in the young horse class on Govalent, a full-brother to Claire’s European championship ride, Jewelent. “I was delighted for Rachael who has produced Govalent all along herself for the Rosbothams and has done a fantastic job with him.”