CASTLEFIELD Bishop, ridden by Ger O’Neill, captured the second round of the TRM/Showjumpers Club Spring Tour at Cavan Equestrian Centre last Sunday afternoon.

This was the eight-year-old gelding’s first time against the clock at this level and he performed very well, breaking the finish beams in a time of 31.39 seconds to secure the victory.

Speaking after the win, O’Neill told The Irish Field: “He was bred by my Dad Jim, he is by Kannan out of a mare (Castlefield Sarah) that we bred ourselves which is by Guy Cavalier.

“She also bred an event horse named Typically Fernhill (Dondoctro Ryal x Castlefield Sarah) who went to four-star level with Leslie Law.

“He was produced up through the young horse classes by Jackilynn Breslin who worked for my Dad. Normally the Kannans are a little later to come so we didn’t push him. He was just doing small classes as a five and six-year-old and then last year he competed in some of the seven-year-old classes.

“I brought him to Oliva (Spain) at the back end of last year and he did some 1.30m and 1.35m classes, so now he’s ready for the bigger classes.

“That was his first time against the clock, he’s very careful. I wasn’t really expecting him to win, I thought it would just be educational for him but he just kind of stepped up on the day,” said O’Neill.

So where does he think he made up the time in the jump-off?

“I think I did nine strides to the last fence, so we made up time there. He was very quick back to the second fence so between those two we saved time.

“I’ll aim him at the seven and eight-year-old class in Dublin and I think he’ll be a top horse. He has lots of scope so I think he’ll be able to jump very big fences someday.

“It was a fabulous show. We had 18 horses there for the two days and everything was brilliant. We are so lucky to have a facility like Cavan. Stuart (Clarke) runs it so well. The ground was good and the courses were fantastic.

“The plan now is to do two more rounds of the Spring league before heading off to Arezzo or some shows in Belgium, I haven’t completely made up my mind yet.

“I will be back ready for the Premier Series, I have a couple of horses for that, and we’ll be aiming at that too,” added Ger O’Neill.

Sven Hadley, winner of the 1.20m at Cavan EC with Carroll Produce Ltd`s Kabran De Reve Z \ Laurence Dunne Jumpinaction.net

Competitive action

Some 49 combinations lined out for the class which offered a €2,500 prize fund. Just 13 managed a first round clear and progressed to the timed decider.

First to go, Jake Hunter and the Dutch-bred gelding Incredible had one fence down to finish on four faults.

Next to go, Emma McEntee and the eight-year-old Far West de Hus (Cornet Obolensky x Lefvre) also collected four faults. The third combination in, last week’s Spring Grand Prix winners Timmy Brennan riding GCS Ita (OBOS Quality x MHS Attraction) set the target with a clear in 33.42 seconds which would be good enough for eventual third place.

Fourth in, Sven Hadley and the Belgian stallion Phenomene Bleu VDM (Diamant De Semilly x Nabab De Reve) also left all the fences intact in a time of 34.73 for eventual fifth.

The next three in, Cathal Daniels (Haros), Rhys Williams (Cowboy Blue) and Ailsa Sexton (Sparky Lad), had a fence down apiece with the next clear round coming from Junior Timmy Brennan and his second mount, the eight-year-old mare Diadema Della Caccia (Diamant De Semilly x Cardento) in 37.91secs for sixth place.

Another Junior rider, Cavan’s own Jamie Clarke, riding Coumroe Special, added his name to the top-six placings when they crossed the finish line clear in 34.17secs for fourth place.

Daniels close

Event rider Cathal Daniels, riding Cappog Tomy (Camiro De Haar Z - S Creevagh Ferro), came closest to catching O’Neill when they stopped the clock at 32.15 to claim the runner-up spot.

O’Neill and Castlefield Bishop were the penultimate pair in and they too left all the fences up in a fast time of 31.39 to take the top prize.

Last to go, Emily Turkington and Tricolor MB (Numero Uno x Rocadero) were the fastest four-faulters in 31.46 to finish just outside the money in seventh place.

The next, and third round of the TRM Showjumpers Club Spring Tour takes place tomorrow (Sunday, February 19th) at Broadmeadows Equestrian Centre, Bullstown, Ashbourne, Co Meath.