The 10th week of the Winter Equestrian Festival got off to a strong start for Offaly’s Darragh Kenny when he claimed a one-two finish in today’s (Wednesday) three-star $35,000 Douglas Elliman 1.45m Classic riding Chakito and Horst van de Mispeleare, respectively.

Some 68 entries contested the power and speed format class, but none could catch Kenny. He and Chakito, a 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Vlock Show Stables LLC, stopped the clock in a winning time of 36.79 seconds.

Kenny’s second mount in the class, Horst van de Mispeleare, an 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding owned by Hammond Horsepower Ltd., finished in a close second with a time of 37.01 seconds, and Japan’s Karen Polle took third in 37.64 seconds riding her own Little Lord 90.

“These 1.45m speed classes and two phase classes are so fast nowadays,” said Kenny afterwards. “Every time you go in, you have to go absolutely 100 percent to win or you might as well just school around, because you’re not going to get a ribbon any other way.

“The course suited me with both horses,” said Kenny of the track set by Olympic individual silver medalist and Pan American Games designer Michel Vaillancourt of Canada. “I didn’t have to go too crazy at the start. It was a nice two phase, so it was nice to go around the first phase and get them both going around good. Then in the jump-off part, both of mine are quite good at galloping at jumps, so it suited them both.”

Kenny’s winning mount, Chakito, is generally ridden by his owner, Teddy Vlock, who trains with Kenny. “I’m just riding him for a little bit now, and then Teddy will take him over again at the end of circuit. He’s a really good horse. I think a lot of him,” said Kenny.

Kenny also spoke highly of his second place entry, Horst van de Mispeleare, who he began riding a month ago.

“It’s actually one that my girlfriend, [Jessica Mendoza], used to ride,” said Kenny. “Jess and I are very good between the two of us – whatever doesn’t work for one can work for the other. We swap and change a little bit and see what works, and the horse seems to work for me. I think it’s a really cool horse.”