Daniel Coyle must have been smiling all the way back to Derry last Monday after he was officially crowned the 2014 Horse Sport Ireland/Connolly’s RED MILLS Spring Tour champion. His incredibly consistent run of four wins and three third places contributed to what is now three Spring Tour title wins in as many years. Coyle’s achievement is all the more remarkable considering that he is still in the young rider rankings.

Coyle was pushed all the way by Thomas O Brien from Galway, who ensured the overall title still hung in the balance heading into the final weekend in Warrington, Co Kilkenny, on Sunday and Coilog, Co Kildare, on Monday. Conor McEneaney also produced some excellent results to finish third.

Coilog: Co Meath’s Edward Butler claimed victory in the final round of the Spring Tour on Caugherty at Coilog in Co Kildare on Angela Taggart’s Caugherty (Limmerick x Flagmount Diamond). Cian O Connor, took runner-up spot with the eight-year-old gelding Saphir (Salito x Escudo I) who is owned by Canadian Nicole Walker. Army rider Capt Geoff Curran slotted into third aboard the Minister for Defence’s Shannondale Rahona (Ghyvan Z x Cavalier Royale). Daniel Coyle and Uptown Girl posted the fastest time of the class but one fence down for the speed specialists saw them finish in seventh.

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Warrington: A day earlier, Daniel clearly cemented his position at the top of the Spring Tour table with a win aboard Uptown Girl at Warrington Equestrian Centre in Co Kilkenny. Gerard Clarke finished as runner-up with Woudprins (Ico Sun x Notaris). Damien Griffin, fresh from his win the previous week at Mullingar, was back in the prizes at Warrington, taking third place with Tabby (Captain Clover x Cruising).