Surely boosting himself into the world’s top 10 for the first time, Bertram Allen won the 1.55m Grand Prix at Dortmund, Germany, on Sunday. Riding Billy Twomey’s 17-year-old Heartbreaker stallion Romanov, who had taken the honours for him a month ago in the Bordeaux World Cup, Bertram had one of just three double-clears out of a start list of 49 to score another scintillating win in the Wexford teenager’s already meteoric career.

Last to go in the seven-horse jump-off, he had a time of 34.39 seconds to beat, set by Mario Stevens of Germany. He did so with half a second to spare to take the Mitsubishi car on offer for first prize.

The win should give Bertram just enough points to climb from his current 11th place into the top 10 when the next Longines rankings are published.

It is also a good boost for him as he heads to Las Vegas next month to contest his first World Cup final with Molly Molone.

Amazingly, last weekend, in addition to Bertram Allen, Ireland had no fewer than 52 riders competing at international events in Europe, the US and the Middle East. The best results came from Darragh Kenny in Florida, Richard Howley in Vejer de la Frontera and Denis Lynch, who had a third in Al Shaqab, Doha.