OFFALY's Darragh Kenny has continued his incredible run of form by taking victory in last night’s (Saturday) $137,000 Horseware Ireland three-star Grand Prix at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida, USA, which is taking place behind closed doors due to Covid-19.

Riding Scarlett du Sart Z, owned by Vlock Show Stables LLC, World No.7 Kenny was one of 12 combinations to make it into the jump-off. He crossed the line clear in 33.54 seconds to claim victory ahead of Israel’s Sydney Shulman with J-Boston S.E (33.96).

“I’ve been very lucky – I had a good winter and all the horses went very well,” said Kenny of his season at WEF. “I had a great feeling coming into this winter because I have an incredible group of horses, and I’m very lucky that I have those horses.”

High hopes

Kenny got the ride on Scarlett du Sart Z, a 10-year-old Zangersheide mare (Stakkato de hann x First Bride), when the horse was seven-years-old and has high hopes for the mare’s future, saying, “This is a mare that Teddy Vlock and his owner bought for me, and we’ve been slowly producing her. She’s really starting to turn a corner, and I think she’s an incredibly talented horse that will end up jumping at the highest level.

“I didn’t get to see Sydney go, but Hardin [Towell] said to me that she was very fast so I was going to have to do everything to beat her,” continued Kenny. “I was lucky I got a good shot to the third-to-last jump, which meant I could do seven to the second to the last, which I think was less than everyone else and where I won it.”

The final competition at the 2020 Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida will be tonight’s $37,000 CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m.

Swail close

Meanwhile at the Palm Beach Masters, which are also taking place in Florida, Co Down’s Conor Swail and GK Coco Chanel finished as runners-up in Saturday’s $137,000 CSI5* Palm Beach Masters Classic. Last to go in a 12-horse jump-off, Swail finished just behind British winner Emily Moffitt with Tipsy du Terral. Billy Twomey (Kimba Flamenco) and Darragh Kenny (Billy Dorito) also made it into the jump-off and finished in ninth and tenth places respectively.

The Palm Beach Masters will come to a close this evening with the $300,000 CP Palm Beach Masters Final, which is likely to be the last live equestrian action to take place around the globe for a number of weeks.

Source: Horse Sport Ireland press release