The Cavan Indoor Championships came to an exciting close last Sunday with Michael G Duffy taking the honours in the Gain/Alltech Autumn Grand Prix on Bocello.

The Klaus Holle-designed track proved challenging and the course asked questions from the start. A wide oxer at two, followed by the Cavan rustic double, demanded careful riding, as did the triple before the final vertical. Time was also a factor and served to keep pressure on the riders.

First to answer all the questions was fifth to go Eddie Moloney on Douglas Hill. Philip Horgan and GVD Mispelaere were denied their place in the jump-off when they crossed the line in 76.78 seconds, incurring a single time fault.

Neal Fearon and Cessina 4 suffered the same fate as Horgan when they were a fraction over the time in 76.14. It was not until 30 combinations later that a jump-off was guaranteed as Ross Mulholland and Ahmed Du Calvaire delivered the second clear.

In the end, a total of nine combinations contested the jump-off. Things didn’t quite go according to plan for Eddie Moloney as Douglas Hill took a dislike to the third vertical, which meant he finished just outside the top six placings. Ross Mulholland turned up the pressure as he delivered a clear with in 41.35 with Ahmed Du Calvaire, which would later see him take fifth. Max O’Reilly Hyland kept the use of the arena to a minimum with Dorado and, although they delivered a clear, their time of 41.48 was only good enough for eventual sixth.

Event rider Elizabeth Power proved out of luck when faulting at the midway point with Doonaveeragh O One. The quickest time of the class in 36.78 ensured her seventh place.

The lead changed as Sophie Dalm galloped home with nothing to add in 37.65 with Remake Lande. Although Dalm cut every corner, her lead was short-lived as next in Edward Butler, riding Cornet’s son, reduced the target to 37.09 seconds, which meant she finished just behind Butler.

Excitement mounted as Michael G Duffy took every tight line with Bocello. A extremely tight line to the Cavan rustic double, matched with a good gallop to the last, saw them clock the winning time of 36.31 seconds. Owned by Sandra Duffy, the nine-year-old Heartbreaker stallion Bocello has proved to be a consistent mount for Duffy. Among their most recent results was a sixth place finish in the Tom Hudson Derby at Hickstead in June. Duffy himself was part of the European Championships young rider bronze medal-winning team in Austria this year.

Next in, Cormac Hanley put in a gallant attempt with Captain Caruso and, despite getting a great line to the rainbow oxer at five, they failed to catch Duffy. Their time of 37.07 saw them finish ahead of Butler and slot into second place.

All eyes were on last-to-go John Floody, the league leader, who set off with the big-striding Mise le Meas. Floody opted to take the outside line back to fence four to give himself the best approach. Although he opted for the more cautious lines, four faults at the first part of the double meant he finished outside the top six. Floody didn’t go home too disappointed, however, as good result over the course of the championships saw him being crowned the leading rider of the show.

WARM RECEPTION

Earlier in the day, veteran champion jockey AP McCoy teamed up with current national show jumping champion Alexander Butler to win the Horse First Chasing Champions Challenge. As expected with all proceeds going towards the Robbie McNamara Fund, the class got a warm welcome from spectators.

Kerry Taggart and Avo’s Jordan Z won the four-year-old Stratroy Milk-sponsored championship. The winning stallion is by Air Jordan Z and out of the Liberho H-sired dam Vukarla.

John Floody and Ballyknock Diamond won the hotly contested six and seven-year-old Hankook-sponsored classic final while Darryl Walker and Riverside Ace took the honours in the Snaffles Bar Indoor Derby last Friday night.