BEIR Bua and Kenneth Graham captured the win in a competitive 1.35m Grand Prix at the Portmore Winter Championships last Sunday.

By Lancelot out of Rincoola Bua (Cruising), the 12-year-old mare, who has won a lot of classes throughout her career, was bred by the late Harold McGahern.

This win showed a return to form for the pair who has won mutilpe Grands Prix in their career, including the Cavan International Grand Prix in 2019 and last year’s the Irish Masters at the Northern Indoor Championships.

Some 46 combinations lined out for the class. Of these, 16 produced a first round clear to progress to the timed decider where Graham was the fastest of eight clear rounds, stopping the clock at 34.79 to secure the win.

Junior rider Robert Russell steered his mother Jane’s Ballyrobin Nimmedor (Lancelot x Gypsy Duke) to the runner-up spot in 35.41. Russell also managed to slot into third place aboard his second mount, the German-bred Loberon in 36.23.

Young rider Sean Foley and Bronte Stables eight-year-old gelding Ugadi Hero Z were fourth in 36.68. By Udancer Hero, he is out of Dermott Lennon’s world championship winning mount Liscalgot and was bred by Luc Henry.

Fifth went to Gerard Clarke, riding Moira Forbes’ French-bred Valtor de Blagny, while sixth was Tara Dunne and her Pacino x Cavalier Royale mare Claddagh Martha, owned by Siobhan Dunne.

Over the line

Speaking after the class, Graham explained where he thought he had made up the time. “She’s naturally very fast over the ground and over the fence, and we got a very smooth turn to the second last fence which helped,” he said.

“She’s sort of been knocking on the door all year, but this is the first one we managed to win. Harold McGahern bred her and I got her from him late in her four-year-old year. She’s lovely to ride and is very straightforward.

“My other horse, KEC Dorian (KEC Maximum Joe x Aldatus Z), also went very well. He is owned by a great supporter of mine, Regula Wassmer, he jumped double clear and finished eighth.

“I plan to go to Cavan on Sunday for the Grand Prix there and then hope to go on a trip away in the spring, probably to Spain, where I would hope to move Dorian up to the ranking classes.”

The Grahams devastatingly lost two horses following an arson attack on their yard in 2018, and the yard was destroyed. “Thankfully, after a lot of good help, we have completely recovered from the fire and everything is back to normal,” he told The Irish Field.

“I would have around 15 horses in work all the time, from three and four-year-olds upwards. I have a nice Luidam gelding who is five coming six. He’s Lenamore Lombardi (Luidam x Heritage Fortunus). My mum Geraldine owns him and we bought him at the Cavan Sales. I plan to do the six-year-old classes with him next year.”

Win for Marshall

Savannah Marshall, riding her father-in-law Harry Marshall’s home-bred five-year-old mare Lemonade, won the 1.20 final at the venue when breaking the finish beams in a time of 29.78.

By Andiamo de Semilly, she is out of Killyglass Georgia, by Indoctro.

Sara McMordle and Drumaclan Jack took second place, stopping the clock at exactly 30 seconds. Third went to Jacqueline Browne’s six-year-old Keelnacally Cobra Clover (Cobra x Clover Fields) with Jonathan Smyth in the saddle.

Smyth also managed to take fourth place aboard his other six-year-old, Brian McAuley’s Larkhill Cruisette. By the Cruising clone, Cruising Arish, she is out of Dunadry Lady (Crosstown Dancer).

Young rider Hugo McAlpine and Seamus Daly’s Sully were fifth, while Suzanne Posnett completed the line up in sixth with Luscinia Eickenrode.