SATURDAY night’s class at the Cavan November Horse Festival, the 1.40m speed, promised a fast and exciting evening of entertainment and, with €3,000 in prize money on offer, it did not disappoint.

A total of 41 combinations started and of these just 14 left all the fences up over Stuart Clarke’s challenging track. Patrick Hickey, riding Jeremy Sweetnam’s Belgian-bred Genepi Des Mansarts, provided the quickest round as sixth to go, crossing the finish line in 53.73 before he had a nervous wait to see if any of the remaining riders could catch him.

As it turned out they couldn’t come close and it was Britain’s Annabel Shields, who had briefly held the lead prior to Hickey, with Creevagh Carisma who took the runner-up place in 53.84.

Third went to Cian Harrisson and the ever reliable Tabby in 54.63. Cavan resident junior rider Camryn Clarke and his mother Victoria’s Conto De Reve were fourth in 56.16.

Inlaws Orinoco was guided into fifth place by Aidan Killeen, while Eddie Moloney’s daughter Emily and GVS Goodwins Queen were sixth.

McEvoy speeds to win

The Jim Derwin-sponsored 1.35m jump-off on Saturday afternoon attracted a strong start list of 77. Just six combinations managed to present a double-clear round and it was young rider Niamh McEvoy, with the eight-year-old mare Aconzina PS, who proved best of the bunch, stopping the clock at 38.06 to take the win.

Owned by Max O’Reilly Hyland, the mare is by Action Breaker, out of Conzina (Conthargos).

Emily Turkington came closest to catching the leader when she and Copperalley Stud’s Eletta Molino (Van Gogh x Silverstone) stopped the clock just 0.03 slower in 38.09 for second place.

Junior rider Paddy Reape, riding Creevagh Special (Camiro De Haar Z x Harlequin Du Carel), was third in 39.08, while McEvoy and her second mount, Haifa OL, took fourth in 39.93. Berlios Van De Kapel, with Grace McHugh, in the saddle slotted into fifth, while Emily Moloney and Ian Smyth’s Capitol Cruise were sixth.