THE TRM Horseware National Grand Prix last Saturday proved to be very exciting class with the reigning champion Vincent Byrne and Darryl Walker battling it out for the top spot. Both riders were double-handed in the eight-way jump-off and in the end, it was Daryl Walker and Manuela Martinelli Cushions who took the honours in the €4,000 Craigavon Commercial Dismantlers-sponsored class at The Meadows EC.

Walker said: “I am delighted. The class was very exciting and really Vinny gave me no choice to but to go for it as he had set two very fast rounds. The course was a mixture of a galloping course plus it had about four turns backs that you needed to take to make up the time. You really needed a brave and careful horse."

Byrne added: “It was a very competitive jump-off and really I did think that I had done enough with Mr Rockefeller but Darryl just got ahead at the end. Mr Rockefeller is really on form, he was first, second and fourth in Millstreet."

The win now places Walker top of the leaderboard on 54 points ahead of the penultimate round at Cavan with Byrne on 42 points his closest rival.

Meanwhile, torrential weekend rain caused the final of the Premier Series to be put on hold until Monday. Victory in the stiff competition was claimed by the talented Co Kildare rider Nicola FitzGibbon on Poker des Dames, owned by Lady Forbes of Co Longford's Castle Forbes Stud.

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