EMILY Turkington won her first National Grand Prix of 2022 when she secured victory in the eighth round of the league in Castle Irvine last Sunday.

Speaking after the win, Turkington said: “I’m delighted to win here today in Necarne. I’m riding Donald Loughran’s eight-year-old gelding Cornet which I bought when he was six, and I think he is very special.

“He originally came from Denmark and I bought him when I was in Germany with Bertram and Harry Allen, they sourced him for me. He is by Cornet’s Prinz, a son of Cornet Obolensky.

“He was second to go in the jump-off so I knew I would have to go fast, I had a few combinations coming after me that would be quick so I knew what I had to do.

“We came to the first fence and he jumped it very good, then he looked at the in gate and we did 10 strides when I meant to do nine, he then jumped number two very well and we set sail to the double of vertices; he was very careful here and shortened nicely for me, I took a bit of a chance to the next oxer, it was big but I knew he’d back off it well.

“I gave him room here which carried us to the next vertical and then we got a nice turn back from that.

“He bucked after the penultimate fence which lost me a bit of time and we ended up quite deep to the final fence but he helped me out and jumped it very well.

“Next I’ll go with him to the seven- and eight-year-old qualifier in Mullingar and then head to some shows in mainland Europe before hopefully heading to the Dublin Horse Show.

“I’ve had a very good weekend here. I won the Ulster region Grand Prix yesterday with Jay Gatsby. The venue here is fantastic, the setting is unbelievable, the arena is fabulous to ride around.

“The last time I was here was when I did the Under 10s at the European Championships, so it’s been a while.”

Marshall runner-up

A start list of just 21 combinations lined out for the Tommy Gibbons-designed 1.40m track in the walled garden arena and of these, seven posted a first-round clear to progress to the timed decider.

Matthew Conlon and Ping Ball opened proceedings. An error at the second fence cost them four faults and saw them finish in sixth place.

Turkington was second in and posted a fault-free round in a time of 44.18 which would prove unbeatable for the remaining five.

Third to go, Savannah Marshall riding her own Dutch-bred gelding Flambeau came closest, stopping the clock at 46.56 for the runner-up spot.

Catherine Thornton and her and David Campbell’s Coachella (Ustinov - Cruising) were next to have a go, they left all the fences up in 49.31 for fourth place.

Shannon Robinson and the German-bred mare Chardonnay also managed to leave the track intact and in a faster time of 46.81 which put them into third place in the final line-up.

Fifth place went to Luke Campbell riding Derryinver Truffle (Tornesch - Cruising) as the fastest four-faulter in 44.37.

Interestingly the fourth and fifth-placed horses, Coachella and Derryinver Truffle, are both out of the same Cruising dam, Icing.

The next leg of the National Grand Prix league takes place in Coilóg Equestrian next Saturday, June 11th, with the 10th round the following day at Ballivor.