Another win for Inlaws Manolo

JUST as he did two weeks before, Derek McConnell won the Horse Sport Ireland Autumn Development Series six-year-old class with Inlaws Manolo at Tipperary Equestrian last Saturday, claiming the lion’s share of the €4,000 prize fund.

Owned by Sorcha Hennessy, the gelding is by Corland out of Helena De Va Lie (Lord Z) and was bred by Tomas Hester.

Some 33 started over the 1.20m track with 16 progressing to the timed decider. From the 11 who were clear against the clock, McConnell was the fastest in 19.67 and the only one to go below the 20-second mark.

Inlaws Manolo was ridden by Daisy Duggan as a five-year-old before McConnell took over last December and the pair has had a number of top results this season, including qualifying for the RDS National Championships in August.

Nicola FitzGibbon took the runner-up spot with Michael Kenny’s Castlebridge Metro Du Carel (Metropole x Harlequin Du Carel), who was bred by Stephen Holland. They stopped the clock in 20.06 seconds.

Junior rider Robin Carey took third place with Adam Carey’s Luicruz (Luidam x Puissance), bred by Sean Fahy. They broke the beams just fractions slower than FitzGibbon in 20.99.

Young rider Cora Sharkey and her father Joseph’s AHG Whiterock Duggie (Ard VDL Douglas x Raheenwood Ginger) took fourth in 21.48. Tadhg Beecher and his own Loughnatousa Olaf (Cruising Harry) slotted into fifth in 21.64, while Aaron Perrin riding LKS Lanzar (Lancelot x Cougar) were sixth.

Meanwhile, in the four-year-old HSI Autumn Development Series, 25 of the 38 starters shared the €4,000 prize pot after they produced a clear round over the 1m track.

Hughes Bravo on the mark

Marta Hughes Bravo guided Miss Belgium III, owned by her mother Marion Hughes, to win the 1.20m at the venue. Run as a two-phase class, she stopped the clock in a second round time of 19.78 seconds.

The junior rider then added the runner-up spot to her haul when she guided HHS Figero to a double clear round in 21.60.

Young rider David O’Brien finished third with his father Barry’s eight-year-old Dutch-bred Isidorus R in 23.11.

Another junior, Robin Carey, was fourth with Perle D’Amour, while Edward Doyle and Billy Houston took fifth and Andrew Hodgins was sixth with Thornhill Jenny (Warrenstown You 2 x Crannagh Hero).