IAN Cassells claimed the only Irish victory across the long format classes at Millstreet International Horse Trials, when he won the Carr & Day & Martin CCI2*-L riding the seven-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding MGH Rioja. The combination was drawn first of the 56 starters in the class to go before the Ground Jury on Thursday, and they maintained their lead from that point throughout the weekend to win by a margin of five penalties from runners-up Heidi Coy and another Irish-bred, Tisrara Timothy.

Sarah Ennis and Ordonnay were the combination who came closest to Cassells in the first phase, with their mark of 26.8 being within a rail of the 23.5 awarded to the leaders by the Ground Jury of Helen Christie (NZL), Anibal Marianito (POR) and Heather Gillette (USA). When Ennis added four show jumping faults and some cross-country time penalties to her first phase score and dropped out of contention, the door was left open for Coy. Third after dressage, the British rider climbed into second with her eight-year-old gelding by completing on her first phase score of 28.3.