JONATHAN Smyth and Crystal Graf scored their second Gain Equine Nutrition/Alltechn National Grand Prix victory of the summer when they won the 1.40m competition in Duffy’s Equestrian Centre, Co Galway last Sunday.

The duo, who won the round at Omagh just one month earlier with the only double clear round, had another decisive win at Duffy’s when they secured the victory by a comfortable margin of almost seven seconds in the four-way jump-off.

With a prize fund of €5,000 on offer, just 22 combinations lined out for the class, the 21st of the 23-round league. Of these, an even dozen managed to keep a clean sheet in round one to progress to the timed decider.

Four combinations collected eight faults after two fences on the ground. A further four made a single error to collect four faults apiece, which meant the remaining quartet left all the fences intact.

Smyth and Ann Doherty’s Crystal Graf (Lux Z - Graf Magna) proved fastest of these, clear in a time of 44.85 seconds for the win.

Bred in Co Donegal by her late husband Anthony, the 11-year-old gelding has shown great consistency this season with a number of 1.35m Ulster Grand Prix league wins. He has made the move up to 1.40m well showing plenty of scope as well as jump-off speed. Olive Clarke was second, riding Greg Broderick’s nine-year-old mare Ballerina Girl DVO Z (Bisquet Balou VD Mispelaere - Palestro VD Begijnakker). The pair, who were third in the National Grand Prix at Kernan’s at the end of May, produced a second round clear but in a slower time of 51.83.

Third place went to Alex Vreloy’s Belgian-bred stallion Phenomene Bleu VDM (Diamant De Semilly - Nabab De Reve) with Sven Hadley in the saddle. They crossed the finish with a clear round in 51.24.

Joe Sharkey’s eight-year-old gelding Lisboy Emerald (Emerald Vant Ruytershof - Lux Z) and Cora Sharkey took fourth place after they stopped the clock at 58.04.

Gerard Clarke riding Patrick and Claire Sutton’s Lupins Lux Z (Lux Z - Cruising) were fifth as the fastest four-faulter, while sixth place went to Smyth with his second mount Noletta Smyth and Roy Craig’s Mulvin Lights Out (Kroongraaf - Diamond Serpent).

The next and penultimate round of the National 1.40m league takes place at the upcoming Irish Breeders Classic Show.

Victory for Carey

Young rider Nadine Carey and Deirdre Murnane’s 12-year-old stallion Sacre Bleu (Lux Z - Cavalier Royale) won Sunday’s 1.30m two-phase after the pair stopped the clock in 28.39.

Another young rider, Cora Sharkey, riding the seven-year-old gelding AHG Whiterock Duggie (Ard VDL Douglas - Raheenwood Ginger) took the runner-up spot when they broke the beams just slightly slower in 28.88.

Sandra (Lux Z - Sandro Boy) and owner/rider Andrew Hodgins finished in third place in 29.88, while junior Gary Dooley and his father Declan’s six-year-old mare CSF Olympic Jewel (Mylord Carthago - Clover Hill) were fourth in 30.09.

Fifth place went to Ger Clarke riding Lady Georgina Forbes’ Castleforbes Angelina (Vivaldo Van Het Costersveld - Germino D’Elle).

Completing the line-up in sixth place was Kevin McCabe’s seven-year-old mare Heritage Enigma (Eldorado Van de Zeshoek - Canturo) with Aoife McCabe on board.

Hadley dominates

Galway’s Sven Hadley and Kabran De Reve (Kannan - Narcos II) took the top spot in a competitive 1.20m two-phase which saw 50% of the 32 starters post a double clear round. The duo delivered a second round time of 34.07 for owners Carroll Produce Ltd to secure the win.

Claire Crawford’s eight-year-old Dutch-bred Jackstar (Zavall - Sheraton), with Pataire Crawford, in the saddle were runners-up in 34.59.

Hadley and his second mount, again owned by Carroll Produce Ltd, the Dutch-bred Fableu VD Watertoren (Master Blue), took third place in 35.41. Hadley also managed to claim fourth place, this time aboard Raw Interiors Belgian-bred mare Jessy Van De Heide (Nonstop - Habsburg) in 35.42.

Gerard Clarke and Castleforbes Angelina took fifth place, while Jessica Lee, riding her own Harry Beau Bay (VDL Arkansas - Clover Hill), was sixth.