DESPITE heavy rain falling across much of the country on St Patrick’s Day, it did nothing to deter the 51 entries for the 1.35m TRM/Showjumpers Club Spring Tour at Warrington Top Flight Equestrian in Co Kilkenny.

Leading the victory lap on this occasion, and for the second time in the series, was Aimee Barry with Garryndruig Limoncello. In a 30 horse jump-off, Barry was the fastest of 19 clear rounds with Joe Barry’s 10-year-old gelding, adding another 10 points and taking her tally to 20.

Speaking after the win, Barry said: “I was delighted to take the win at Warrington. Kilkenny is big county for show jumping so it was a special win for me and the Moloney family always put on a great show with great courses so a big thanks to them.

“Garryndruig Limoncello is an amazing mare. I knew when she locked onto the first fence that I had a good chance in the jump-off. I let her find her own rhythm and I think the turn back to the second last fence helped me save a lot of time. It’s a very special feeling when you know you can come down to any fence, no matter what pace or angle, and you can trust your horse to take it on.

“I am very lucky to have Kian Dore to ride her during the week for me when I’m in college. My plan now is to do the Spring Tour in Mullingar and the final in Coilóg and follow the National Grand Prix series from then on,” added the 22-year-old veterinary student.

Owned by Joe Barry and bred by Geri McGeoghan-Santry, Garryndruig Limoncello is a 10-year-old mare by Amaretto Darco out of the Cruising-sired dam Garryndruig Cruising Akademi. Bought from Fergal Harrison in 2020, the combination have clocked up a series of good results in the last year, including a win in the 1.30m Power and Speed at the Cavan November show, along with the win in the Welcome Stakes. They also clocked up results in the 1.35m Munster Grand Prix.

Two-phase

With large entries and changeable weather, the Kilkenny venue was given permission to run as a two-phase class. From the original starters, 19 delivered double clears. The top six combinations all came home within 35 seconds.

Drawn last to go, Barry’s winning time was a lightening fast 30.74 seconds. Local rider Ger O’Neill came closest to catching the winner aboard Mr Castlefield, but his time of 32.43 was almost two seconds slower, but good enough for the runner-up spot.

Owned by Castlefield Breeding Farm and bred by Zemsky Hrebcinec, Mr Castlefield is a nine-year-old by Heartbreak ZH out of the Faust Z dam Sofa. This is the second good result for O’Neill in this series, having claimed the win in Cavan with Castlefield Bishop.

Galway’s Sven Hadley took third place with the Euro Horse Axel Verloy-owned Phenomene Bleu VDM, when they stopped the clock in a time of 33.68. Runners-up in the round at Wexford, the eight-year-old stallion is by Diamant De Semilly out of the Nabab De Reve-sired mare Nuance Bleue VDM Z.

Also putting valuable points on the board was Eoin Brennan, slotting into fourth place with Eskola M, when they were fractions behind in 33.68. This combination had previously claimed the rounds at Wexford Equestrian and Broadmeadows. By Singapore, the 14-year-old grey gelding, owned by Tim Brennan, was bred by J.W.G Mooren out of the Mermus R mare Aranca.

It was a good day for the Beecher family as brothers Paul and Tadhg shared fifth place in an unusual dead heat time of 34.13. Paul was in command of the 12-year-old gelding Glamstone, owned by his wife Seryna Van Kuelen, while Tadhg rode Loughnatousa Mr Jones. Loughnatousa Mr. Jones, owned by his father Tim Beecher, is a 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse by OBOS Quality out of Royal Carel (Harlequin du Carel) and was bred by Michael Byrne.

Fives for the win

Earlier in the day, Ciara Fives took the win in the 1.20m aboard the Seamus Fives-owned Loughnatousa Brennan, when they clocked the winning time of 30.06. This was another competitive class with 86 combinations going to post and from those, 48 delivered double clears.

Little separated the next placings as Alexandra Hourigan and Cuffesgrange Caballus came home in a time of 30.17 for second place. Sven Hadley also featured in this line-up, taking third with Carroll Produce Ltd-owned Kabran De Reve Z, when they stopped the clock less than a second behind in 30.69.

Resident rider Alice Moloney accounted for fourth place with Jim O’Neill’s Castlefield Cass; she was fractions behind in 30.80.

Hadley accounted for the next two placings, taking fifth with the Patricia Grimes-owned Siobhra, clear in 30.89. He then delivered a clear with Carroll Produce Ltd’s Fabuleu Vd Watertoren (0/0 31.24).

1.10m

Winner of the 1.10m was amateur rider Lorraine Younge (AA) and Belfieldflight when they came home clear in 27.86. Sven Hadley took a share of this prize fund when he partnered Kabran De Reve Z to a clear in 29.58. Amateur rider Gary Flynn (AA) and Bahrain Prince accounted for third place, when they clocked 29.61.

Fractions behind in a time of 29.92 was Maria Vozone aboard the Marion Hughes-owned Miss Belgium III.

Accounting for fifth place was Jim Donohoe aboard DSF Unlimited Quality, clear in 29.96. Amateur rider Marie Hartley (AA) completed the top six with her own Nikita Van Het Heidenhof (0/0 30.16).