FRANCIS Derwin finished his busy weekend with victory in the Gain/Alltech National Grand Prix at Galway Equestrian on bank holiday Monday when he produced the only double clear with Killerisk Can Ya.

The victory came just two days after the pair had claimed fifth place in the equivalent class in Portmore on Saturday. By Can Ya Makan out of R Umonia 14 (Mermus R), the 10-year-old gelding was bred by and produced up to an eight-year-old by Maura Counihan.

Derwin (17) took over the ride in the autumn of 2020 and the pair have recorded an impressive amount of placings and wins since then.

Just 21 combinations lined out for the competition which carried a prize fund of €4,000. Of these, only five managed a clear first round to progress to the timed decider.

Derwin and Killderisk Can Ya posted the fastest time of 40.06 in the jump-off but they had no need to hurry because, as the only duo to leave all the fences intact, they claimed the top-prize.

Young rider Lee Carey riding Kan Cruise (Kannan x Cruising), a nine-year-old who was bred by John Carey, finished in second place after one fence down in 45 seconds.

Third went to Galway rider Aoife McCabe aboard the Belgian-bred mare Mona Lisa Quality (Nabab De Reve x Clarence C), while Sven Hadley finished fourth with his own mare Uidam (Luidam x Cavalier Royale).

The final two placings went to Daniel McAlinden with Orpen Horses Ltd’s eight-year-old Ultimately Cooley (O.B.O.S Quality x Diamant De Semilly) and Portugal’s Luisa Horta Osorio riding another eight-year-old owned by McAlinden, Jasmin da Hermida (Milton du Murier x Papillon Rouge) who was the fastest four-faulter from round one.

After three rounds, Derwin is in second place on 15 points, behind Portmore winner Susan Fitzpatrick on 18.

The next round of the 1.40m National takes place in Barnadown today (Saturday, May 7th).

The 1.30m two-phase, which also served as a qualifier for the seven-year-olds Cavan Classic class on Monday afternoon, saw 13 of the original 24 starters keep a clean sheet over the two rounds.

Rosemary Reynolds’s Carousel Gold (Caricello x Colourfield), ridden by Sean Kavanagh, denied in form-rider Sven Hadley the win here when they stopped the clock at 37.78, just 0.63 ahead of Hadley and Topspin in 38.41.

The Paul Carberry-owned eight-year-old Calcord (Calido 1 x Acord 11) was ridden by Cian Harrisson to third place in 40.17, while Hadley and his second mount, the seven-year-old Belgian-bred stallion Phenomene Bleu VDM (Diamant De Semilly x Nabab De Reve) were fourth.

Shane Goggins finished fifth with Jack Goaley’s Boleybawn Cayman (Cassidee (SWB) x Ard VDL Douglas), and Olive Clarke guided Kevin Egan’s Solsboro BHF Bombay (Luidam x Beau Royale) to sixth.

Connaught Grand Prix

Sunday’s feature in Galway was the opening round of the Mullins Sporthorses-sponsored 1.35m Connaught Grand Prix which attracted a start list of 31 and offered a prize pot of €2,500.

Young rider Pataire Crawford and her mother Claire’s eight-year-old Danish-bred stallion Ardfry Van V Uriko (Uriko x Lavall I) proved best on the day posting a double clear in a time of 42.39 to secure the win.

Junior Timmy Brennan and the eight-year-old mare GCS Ita (OBOS Quality x MHS Attraction) took the runner-up spot in 45.92. Joyce Veld, riding Miley Dunning’s Corraghoe Bounce (Lux Z x Cruising), finished third when stopping the clock at 51.84.

Karen Geoghegan’s Figaro VII (Quality Time x Optimist), ridden by Mark Duffy, slotted into fourth in 55.24, while fifth was Aoife McCabe with Paciro (Pacino x Ramiro B). Sven Hadley and Uidam completed the winning line up in sixth.

Hadley one-two

Sven Hadley scored an impressive one-two when he earned both first and second places in the Duffy Sporthorses 1.25m two-phase class in Galway on Sunday.

Riding his own Swedish-bred mare Topspin, Hadley produced the best time of the day of 33.38 for the win. He then added the runner-up spot to his tally when he guided the seven-year-old HSH Harper Du Seigneur (Aganix Du Seigneur x Chippison) to a double clear in 34.19.

Vincent Mullins partnered Bushy Park Pasco (Black Boy x White Clover) into third in 37.63, while young rider Tom Keville and Kilnamac Enda (Lux Z x Clover Hill) were fourth in 37.76.

Johanna Sixt, riding Sandra Duffy’s seven-year-old Castlebridge Metro Du Carel (Metropole x Harlequin Du Carel), slotted into fifth place, and Garrydruiug Limoncello (Amaretto Darco x Cruising) with Aimee Barry on board were sixth.