Kilkenny’s Ger O’Neill, riding the Martin Egan-owned gelding Hyakari, won Coilóg’s second qualifier for this year’s Connolly’s RED MILLS seven- and eight-year-old international class, to be held at the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show. Hyakari is by the stallion Cicero out of a dam by Mont Royal. Speaking afterwards, Ger O’Neill said: “I have only had this horse about six weeks and this was my first time going against the clock with him, so I am delighted to win a jump-off with 18 horses.”

Neal Fearon took runner-up spot with another seven-year-old stallion, Camillo VDL, by VDL Douglas out of a Baloubet Du Rouet dam, while Seamus Hayes took third with the Cassini II-sired stallion Chipolini VM Z, who is owned by Tina McDermott.

The fourth qualifying spot went to Daryl Walker with Manuela Martinelli’s eight-year-old mare Cushions, who is by Flexible out of a Flagmount Diamond dam.

The fifth and final ticket to the RDS on offer at Coilóg went to Killian Browne with his own gelding Georgie D’Auvray, by Vancouver D’Auvray out of a Nabab De Reve dam.

This is the third year that Connolly’s RED MILLS has sponsored this competition, which features the top 20 combinations from four qualifiers held around Ireland, who are then joined at the Dublin Horse Show by up to 20 additional International entries.