DIADEMA Della Caccia has been knocking on the door all season and last Sunday the mare won her first Gain/Alltech 1.40m National Grand Prix.

Ridden by local rider Timmy Brennan from nearby Gowran and part of the gold medal-winning team at the Junior European Championships in Gorla Minore, Italy, the week previous, the eight-year-old mare by Diamant de Semilly was bred by the Della Caccia Stud out of Cardentina Della Caccia (Cardento).

From a start list of 45 combinations, some 14 managed a clear first round. Three had a single time fault, while 12 had one fence down.

Weather hurdle

Due to the deteriorating weather, it was decided to move the class from the grass arena to the sand. First to go in the jump-off was Jenny Rankin and her own Dutch-bred gelding Ibiza J.W.B. They had been double clear in the previous day’s 1.45m but were not so fortunate this time collecting four faults midway round at fence 10.

The next three riders also earned four faults, including home riders Mikey Pender (HHS Cyprus) and Molly Hughes Bravo (HHS Vancouver) as well as Alex Finney (MHS Style).

The first double clear round came from Jackie Lee’s Hollypark Galloway (Castlelawn Galloway x Diamond Lad) ridden by Tim MacDonagh. They stopped the clock at 42.45 which would leave them in eventual third place.

The four horses which followed failed to answer all the questions correctly. It was the 10th pair in, Daniel McAlinden and Sharon Fitzpatrick’s Keatingstown Z Wellie Two (Z Wellie 72 x Marchionesse) that improved on MacDonagh’s round, leaving all the fences intact in 41.37 to take the provisional lead and eventually finish in second place.

Next to go, Mark Cleary and Michael Hayden’s eight-year-old mare CBI Kylemores Cornet (Cornet Obolensky x Diamant De Semilly), bred by Aidan Carroll, also managed a clear round but in a cautious time of 48.55 for fifth place.

Comdt. Geoff Curran, riding breeder Seamus Tighe and Minister for Defence’s Lough Scur Quality Lady (O.B.O.S. Quality 004 x Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan), were next to put themselves into contention. They left all the fences up but were a little behind the time in 43.95 for fourth.

Timmy Brennan had the advantage of being last to go. He guided Diadema Della Caccia to a foot-perfect round, half a second faster than his closest rival in 41.03 to secure the victory.

The next round of the Gain/Alltech National Grand Prix League takes place in Hollypark tomorrow (Sunday), July 30th.