GILFORD’s Steven Smith was placed on all four of his rides at Rosanna last Saturday, his trip south being highlighted by the win, on his dressage score (31.8 penalties), of Ann Bowe’s traditionally-bred The Kings Ransom in the Durkan Homes EI110. The bay had finished second of 40 in the EI100 here last season

The seven-year-old Kings Master gelding had two stable companions competing in the same class on Saturday, the Hazeldene winner Tullaher Paudie and Strangford, who, with a double clear and four show jumping penalties respectively, finished fourth (34) and sixth (36.8). Only four of the 19 starters had problems in jumping on the cross-country phase while seven beat the clock over the undulating terrain.

That same terrain might just have caught out Smith on his course walk as he would recommend the use of some arrows pointing people in the right direction. While he jumped clear on all four of his rides at this level, Smith also felt the ‘skinnys’ could have been dressed more invitingly and that, in such hot and drying weather conditions, the ground could have been addressed in the days leading up to the event.

On the plus side he commented: “It was positive to see so many entries and those who competed in the lower classes had very positive reviews on their courses. I look forward to seeing the event develop going forward.”

All three of Smith’s horses in this class were competing at EI110 level for just the second time, unlike the more experienced All Dat Quality (33.3), who filled the runner-up spot under owner, Jason Dear, and the third-placed, Darragh Hanlon-ridden Omaybe (33.8).

In the five-runner EI110 (Open), where he also completed on his first phase score, Smith had to settle for second with MMF Churchill (32.5) behind fellow Northern Region member Lucy McIlroy. The latter led throughout on her mother Angela’s 13-year-old ISH gelding Major Black (29 penalties), a son of Imperial Hights who last topped a final leaderboard in the EI110 (J) at Castle Irvine, Necarne, in August 2021.