ON Saturday, a big field of 81 combinations lined out in a bid to take the winner’s share of the €4,000 on offer in the Cooley Farm National Grand Prix at Barnadown. Of those starters, 19 delivered clears in what was a one-round speed class. Claiming this victory was Munster’s young rider, Kian Dore aboard the eight-year-old WHS King Lincoln, when they delivered a clear in 61.53 seconds.

Speaking after the win, Dore said: “I am delighted with the win, the horse jumped super today. He was ninth to go and he led for a long time. My plan was to be tight and as nimble as I could be, but without going too fast and that paid off. I got him as a six-year-old from his breeder Michael O’Sullivan, who also owns him. He is really coming into himself now. He went to Lanaken last year as a seven-year-old and he gained a lot from that. He will go to Balmoral now, where he will jump his first 1.45m of the year.”