EI 110 classes

IT was the show jumping which proved to be the deciding factor in the EI 110 (O), so by recording the sole clear round, Aoife Goodwin Boers and Sherwater landed their first victory of the current campaign.

Pulling up from fifth of the six starters, she edged ahead of Patrick Whelan (Dennis Finch Hatton) as well as Mike Of Mourne, ridden by Steven Smith.

Smith went on to pick up a far more rewarding result when he headed the 27-strong EI 110. Teaming up with Carol Moorhead’s MMF Churchill (OBOS Quality), a former RDS young event horse reserve champion, Smith took a clear lead on the flat (25.3) which, despite the addition of four penalties from the show jumping, was good enough to pip Nicky Roncoroni with the six-year-old Henry Higgins.

Once again, the cross-country proved no difficulty, leaving Lindsay Graham and Moystown St Ghyvan as the highest placed double clear in third.

EI 100 and EI 90 classes

With 34 competitive starters, the EI 100 was the biggest class of the day and was again won from the front. This time the honours fell to Co Waterford producer Meabh Bolger, who riding the Italian-bred six-year-old Kelvin della Caccia, completed just ahead of Ana Maria Hughes with Ballycahane Billy.

The winner, who is by Kannan and formerly show jumped by Daren Hopkins, changed sports just a couple of months ago. This was only his second eventing outing, but according to Bolger’s husband Brian, “he is a natural, and has taken to the cross-country so easily.” Ironically the gelding did in fact carry four penalties from the show jumping, but such was his early advantage, he remained ahead of the second-placed Hughes.

It was a very rewarding result for the latter, as well as for Bridget MacCauley who filled third with her Hillcrest winner, Zena Rising. Winner aside, every one of the top 20 completed on their first-phase scores, and although not affecting the leaders, two picked up faults out in the country, and one retired.

Kilkenny producer Roncoroni may have missed out on the pole position earlier in the day but she landed a smart win in the EI 90 with Paul Douglas’s eye catching five-year-old Rock Island. The winners of the Discovery class at Millstreet International the previous week, the traditionally bred Rock Island is by Island Commander, and bred by Michael Byrne in Co Wicklow, is out of the well related mare Coolcorran Gypsy (Coolcorran Cool Diamond).

As the top 10 all came home with their dressage marks intact, Rebecca Dunlea held on to her second spot with the youngster Nelgara Lucy Locket (Diamond Discovery).