MIKEY Pender got the perfect send off before heading to the Global Champions Tour in Miami when he won the penultimate round of the TRM/Showjumpers Club Spring Tour at Mullingar Equestrian Centre last Sunday.

Riding Bravo Hughes Ltd’s Elektra Des Premices, Pender, who has recently returned from competing on the Andalucia Sunshine Tour in Vejer de la Frontera in Spain, was delighted with the win on home-soil.

Speaking after the victory, Pender said: “Elektra is quite a new ride for me. She is eight years old and is French-bred by Kannan out of a Carthago mare named Melodie D’Eole.

“I think a lot of her. She is naturally very fast, she covers the ground well and I think that’s what helped me today.

“She is very well bred being out of the only full-sister to My Lord Carthago. She is quite green for her age and she was doing quite a lot of embryos. I had her with me on the Sunshine Tour a few weeks ago and she did several 1.40m classes and she was really getting going and she took the next step here today.

“I have a busy few months ahead of me now; my horses landed safely in Miami earlier today for the Global Champions Tour and I will follow them out on Tuesday. After that we head to Mexico.

“I have the two Irish-breds, HHS Calais (Cavalier Royale x OBOS Quality) and HHS Catwalk (Cit Cat x Clover Echo), with me and they were in very good shape before they left so hopefully we can have two good shows there.

“I think the Spring League is really useful for horses like Elektra who are a bit green and need to get experience. I would like to thank TRM for their sponsorship and Mullinger for putting on a fantastic show.”

In a repeat of the previous week at Barnadown Equestrian, Jackilynn Breslin once again had to settle for the runner-up spot aboard Castlefield Miss. She commented: “I am very happy with second place. I had gone over the plan for the jump-off with Mikey beforehand so I think that’s why we ended up so close; our decisions were very similar.

“I think where he caught me was from fence one to two. He did seven strides but I wanted to do eight with Miss so I think that’s where he made up the time. Miss is a nine-year-old mare by Pacino out of a Puissance mare. She is owned and was bred by Jim O’Neill and she has been very consistent this year.

“I took over the ride at the end of last year and I’ve found the Spring Tour great as an introduction for me and the horse as I’m hoping to step her up to the 1.40m National Grand Prix this summer and it’s a great way to build confidence for both horse and rider. I’ve two horses on the Tour, Castlefield Cass and Castlefield Miss, and they have both been going very well.”

All to play for

Young rider Robyn Moran slotted into third place riding Vera Griffin’s eight-year-old Cushla’s Fryday. Moran (Hector Van D’Abdijhoeve x Apache D’Adriers) and, as well as being awarded the leading young rider prize, she took over the lead at the top of the table from John Floody.

Following the class, Moran said: “I’m really pleased with the win. I earned seven points here today which brings me up to the very top of the leaderboard, just ahead of John Floody, but I’m sure he’ll be keen to try to catch me so it’s all still to play for. I’m bringing two horses to the final, Cushla’s Fryday and James McMahon’s Coolminga Inspector Royal (Tinaranas Inspector x Garrison Royal) so hopefully we can do well there too.”

Seventeen of the 51 starters managed to make it through to the timed decider. Pender secured the top spot by breaking the finish beam in a time of 36.19, just 0.19 faster than Breslin in 36.38, while Moran stopped the clock at 37.79 for third.

Fourth went to Nicholas Butler riding the Ladycastle Syndicate’s nine-year-old gelding Ladycastle Paco (Pacino x Nabab de Reve) in 38.22.

Lt James Whyte and the Minister For Defence’s Hawthorn Hill (Cardento x Limmerick) took fifth, while Derek McConnell riding Sorcha Hennessy’s seven-year-old Inlaws Manolo (Corland x Lord Z) completed the line-up in sixth.

The final round of the Spring Tour takes place at Coilóg Equestrian tomorrow (Sunday). With 57 points, Moran now holds a 12-point lead over John Floody (45) in second place , and Jackilynn Breslin (41) in third. Points and a half are on offer for the final round.