Maryville proved to be happy hunting ground for Kilkenny’s Ger O’Neill as he shared the honours in the SJI National Grand Prix at Maryville last Sunday with Nicholas Butler.

Both riders, O’Neill riding Clim Bim and Butler riding Vimminka lodged the winning round of clear in 43.52 seconds.

This was the first win of the series for both riders. It was a particularly good outing for O’Neill having also taken the honours in the Irish Sport Horse Studbook Series six-year-old division with Columbcille Gipsy and then later in the day a win in the seven-year-old division with Martin Egan’s Castlefield Vegas.

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Owned by Peig Van Amerongen, Clim Bim is a 10-year-old Hanoverian mare by Cassus out of the Quidam de Revel sired Quinta. This is a new partnership for O’Neill having taken over the mare from Neal Fearon in early June. It’s a partnership that gelled well and in their first outing at Coilog, the partnership finished second in the 1.35m Mervue Equine Leinster Summer Tour.

In Lier, they finished fifth in the CSI2* Table A. Prior to this the mare was campaigned by Michael G Duffy and before this Cameron Hanley. Under Hanley’s command the mare proved successful at CSI3* level.

VALIANT VIMMINKA

Bred by dutch breeder Fam. Verhey, Scheulder Vimminka (KWPN) is by Nabab De Reve out of the Topas sired Naminka.

Owned by the Ladycastle Syndicate she has clocked up impressive results with both brothers, Alexander and Nicholas Butler. In Balmoral, under Alexander’s command, she took the win in the CSI2* two phase. Prior to this, she was third in Vilamoura CSI3* in a Table A. The mare has produced three foals by Embryo transfer, Ladycastle Diego and Ladycastle Paco both by Pacino and Ladycastle Ludlo who is by Luidam. The two horses by Pacino, now four-year-olds, are showing plenty of promise and have been out at a few training shows with Alexander Butler.

There was a good turnout for this round with 41 starters going to post. Of those, seven delivered clears in the first round and five delivered double clears.

Winner of the 1.35m Mervue Equine Leinster Summer Tour, Tholm Keane was back in the ribbons, this time taking third place with BMH Big Time when clear in 44.98. Winner of the Grand Prix in Bannow and Rathangan, Francis Connors added to his record when he partnered Bobby Flynn’s Hyperion to a clear in 45.01 for eventual fourth.

Waterford rider, Paul Beecher slotted into fifth place when he delivered the last of the double clears with the Cruisings Micky Finn sired Cruising Star (Bonnie) in 48.03. Beecher had also finished third in the Munster Grand Prix the day before with Asti.

Ger O’ Neill who took another place in the line-up when he crossed the line carrying for faults with Go for it in 48.20 for eventual sixth place.