Mixed success for the Irish Dublin

RDS course builder Alan Wade asked all the right questions of horse and rider over the duration of Dublin Horse Show. On Friday Britain found all the answers and put on a masterful display to win their 27th Aga Khan Cup. Delivering six polished rounds without knocking a fence, Di Lampard’s side of Olympians Scott Brash and Ben Maher along with Holly Smith and Emily Moffitt pushed Ireland into third place behind the Italians.

After a disastrous season, which included a humiliating last place at Hickstead, the British had their backs to wall in terms of qualification for both the Nations Cup final in Barcelona next month and for the Tokyo Olympics at next week’s Europeans. They leave Dublin having secured their Barcelona slot and with high hopes of grabbing one of the three Olympic places available in Rotterdam. Di Lampard said: “This team we have been building has peaked at just the right time.”

Individual successes

Over the opening two days of the show Irish riders secured four out of five international classes. Aga Khan team members Paul O’Shea and Cian O’Connor had wins in the Sport Ireland and Dublin Airport Central events, while Cormac Hanley claimed the opening Speed Stakes and Mark McAuley scored in the Clayton Hotel Derby.

On Friday, the Irish headed into the 86th Aga Khan as favourites, while the British were available at 20/1. Ireland’s third place was certainly a disappointment for the home crowd but not a disaster in terms of overall performance.

Paul O’Shea produced a double clear on Skara Glen’s Machu Picchu, however, the remaining team members suffered a severe case of ‘four fault-itis’.The Irish mistakes came at five different obstacles to rack up a total of 16 faults. Cian O’Connor had a four and five faults with his new horse, PSG Final, who he brings to the European Championships, and both Shane Seetnam on Chaqui Z and Darragh Kenny with Important de Muze had one down in each round. Beyond the first three teams, it was a high scoring competition, Sweden finished on 41, reigning champions Mexico on 31, the Netherlands 24 and Switzerland 21.

Ireland’s task of gaining Olympic qualification at next week’s Europeans now appears daunting, yet still doable.

GRAND PRIX

As if to celebrate the 100th anniversary of ladies jumping at the RDS, Susan Fitzpatrick delivered the first of seven first round clears in the €350,000 Longines Grand Prix on Sunday.

As she went in to receive the fourth prize she told The Irish Horse: “It was just an unbelievable feeling to do that in our home Grand Prix. I feel so lucky to be here.”

As the winner Shane Breen headed for the podium he gave us this one word reaction. “Elated,” he said before adding: “this is the best feeling in the world.”