On Friday the SJI National Grand Prix took centre stage with 27 combinations battling it out for the €5,000 on offer. Leading the victory lap on this occasion was Donegal rider, Kenneth Graham riding William Lapsley’s George when he lodged a clear in 44.54 seconds.

This was the second win in the SJI National Grand Prix series for Graham, having won the opening leg at Louth County Show. The pairing also took the runner-up place in Mullingar International.

Not content with the win, Graham also took eighth place with Democrat when they recorded four faults in the first round in 80.45 seconds.

Bred By Grainne Gormley, George is a 14-year-old ISH gelding by Touchdown out of the Cloverhill-sired mare Solas Dubh. It was a busy few weeks for the combination as the they had just returned from Hickstead CSI4* were they put in a solid performance. They recorded their best result finishing just outside the top ten in the competitive Bunn Leisure Derby Tankard.

Graham also took fourth place in the The Stoner Jewellers Vase aboard Lyrical.

DUFFY CHALLENGED RIDERS

On duty course designer, Paul Duffy built a challenging course which saw just three combinations deliver foot perfect rounds first time out. In the second round, all three combinations were equally as careful and kept the poles in place against the clock.

Taking the runner-up spot was John Floody, who put in a calculated round with Bronson De Reve and crossed the line clear in 47.10 seconds.

Sean Monaghan delivered the last of the double clears aboard Caius in 50.74 seconds for third.

James Hogg added to his points tally when he piloted Always On Mind Mind into fourth. The pairing were fastest of the fourth faulters in the first round in 74.91 seconds.

Jonathan Smyth and Chariton Clio suffered a similar fate to Hogg, but in a slower time of 76.45 seconds for fifth place.

Max O’Reilly Hyland put his first points on the board when he took sixth place with Ahmed Du Calvaire. The combination also had one down in the first round in 79.28 seconds.

NEW HEIGHTS SERIES

On Saturday, riders lined out for their chance to take the win in the TRM/Horseware New Heights Champions Series. As expected riders faced a tough challenge with only one double clear being delivered.

The winning combination who delivered that double clear was Kilkenny native Vincent Byrne and Hannibal V Overis Z. With two places up for grabs for the international classes in Dublin, Byrne who is the National Grand Prix Champion has put himself in a strong position as he has moved to the top end of the leaderboard.

Owned by Martin Walsh, Hannibal V Overis Z is a 12-year-old Zangersheide stallion by Heartbreaker out of the Perhaps Vh Molenvondel-sired mare Aira Byrne and Hannibal V Overis Z have proved very consistent in the series, finishing fifth in Mullingar and fourth in Galway. Omagh has proved to be happy hunting ground for them having finished second there in 2015.

BRODERICK NEXT BEST

In total, 28 combinations went to post and in the second round the top 25% returned to battle it out. Of the seven combinations, six had maintained a clean sheet in the first round.

Greg Broderick has certainly made his mark in this series having won the opening round at Louth and later at Ballinasloe. Riding Molly Tracy’s Chinook II, Broderick had an unlucky four faults at the first fence in the first round, but the pairing made no mistakes in the second round and a clear in 40.64 seconds saw him take the runner-up spot. Broderick also accounted for fifth place aboard Charmeur in a time of 54.77.

Returning from a successful week at Hickstead, where he finished third with Gelvins Touch in The Al Shira’aa Derby, Dermott Lennon again took third place in the line-up. Riding Victoria Loane Gelvin’s Touch, he faulted at the oxer at eight in a time of 41.13 seconds.

Fourth place went to Clem McMahon riding Hilton CMS Paparazzi in a time of 42.94, with Kenneth Graham and George IHB (55.68) in sixth, followed by Stacy Babes riding Quilimbo in seventh(46.77).