SUNDAY was a good day at the office for Westmeath’s Francis Derwin, when he steered the 11-year-old chesnut gelding Flexi K (ISH) (Flex A Bill (ISH)[TIH] x Deeply Dippy K (ISH) x Luidam (KWPN); bred by Knightfield Stud) to win the four-star 1.50m Jump-off class at the Morocco Royal Tour in El Jadida. From 23 starters, just five jumped clear first time out to secure their chance to jump again. All but one of them kept all the poles intact second time round, with Derwin the fastest of them in a time of 33.18, despite being first to go in the jump-off. His nearest challenger, Italy’s Emanuele Guadiano on Chalou’s Love PS was over a second behind in 34.47.

Friday saw the on-form Jessica Burke take the runner-up spot in the four-star 1.50m Grand Prix qualifier on 14-year-old bay gelding Express Trend. Eight of the 33 starters jumped clear. Burke finished in 56.45 seconds, just a second behind the winner, Italy’s Emanuele Gaudiano on Nikolaj de Music (55.44).