2008

SHOW jumping legend Eddie Macken proved to be the man of the moment at the Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show yesterday, where he put in a superb performance in the second round, adding only two time faults, to assist Ireland to finish a very creditable second place behind the winning British side.

It was a performance that the spectators had come to see and it was welcomed with open arms after the Canadian-based Longford-native had provided the first-round discard score of 14 on the mare Tedechine Sept, who was still feeling the ill effects of a colic scare earlier in the week. Making a comeback to the Irish team on home turf after an absence of a decade, Macken was always going to attract a massive audience, and in their droves they came to see the master craftsman in action.

Indeed the Aga Khan Trophy produced a tremendous performance from the entire Irish team, which consisted of four show jumping greats. Jessica Kurten re-joined the team in Dublin after an absence of four years and gave another fine exhibition of jumping with Castle Forbes Libertina, providing a second-round clear after picking up only four faults in the first round.

More impressive

Even more impressive was Olympic-bound Denis Lynch who matched his first round jumping clear on Nabab’s Son with another in the second round, adding just one for time on each outing. Ireland’s anchor-man Cian O’Connor was on board the exciting 10-year-old gelding Rancorrado, and was unlucky to have a stop and four faults, before adding three for time. He retired after knocking two fences in the second round. Having been in equal fourth place at the half-way point on 16 faults, Ireland’s climb to eventual second was truly impressive.

In the meantime, the USA and Holland, who had occupied second and third at that halfway point, fell away. In command though, right from the start, were the British, who led on seven faults going into the second round, where the quartet added only another seven to clinch victory. Peter Charles, who earlier this year returned to the British team having lined out for Ireland previously, was outstanding on Murka’s Rupert R in both rounds, adding only single time faults.

Tim Gredley (Omelli) and Robert Smith (Vangelis S) each faulted in both rounds, but another two impressive rounds from anchor-man Nick Skelton on Arko III, adding only single time faults, was enough to leave Britain at the head of affairs at the close of play. British chef d’equipe David Broome said: ‘‘This is what a lovely day is all about, when everything goes just right. The horses were a delight to watch today.’’

Non-committal

Turning his attention to Eddie Macken’s performance, Broome said: ‘‘Eddie was out of this world today, but I would advise him, don’t push it too far – today was a good way to go out!” Macken himself appeared to play down his future international prospects. ‘‘I made a promise to Robert [Splaine, the Irish chef d’equipe] that I would never bother him again after this.’’ However, when Splaine was asked if he might select the same team to represent Ireland in the Samsung Super League final in Barcelona next month, he said he would be ‘‘more than happy’’ to do so, but was otherwise non-committal.

Thanks to yesterday’s result Ireland appears to have moved out of danger and now lie in fifth place ahead of the final. The Swedes, in eighth and last position, are still in danger of relegation. Splaine said: ‘‘We didn’t do enough today to give us daylight [between Ireland and our closest rivals in the league]. It is double points in Barcelona, so we still have work to do.’’ Now occupying second place on the Samsung Super League leader-board on 39.5 points, the British could yet overtake the Germans, who have dominated throughout.

Sean Collins returns to the board

1983

SEAN Collins, owner of Corbally Stud, is back on the board of the Irish Equine Centre. This is good news indeed, as he was the instigator behind the whole scheme and was at the helm until resigning as chairman last November following board disagreements.

A caretaker board was established, headed by Jonathan Irwin, and recently this was succeeded by just about the most powerful the bloodstock industry could produce, as it consisted of Paddy McGrath as, chairman, Victor McCalmont, Vincent O’Brien, Tim Rogers, Denis McCarthy and Stan Cosgrove.

It now looks as if the initial cash problems have been overcome, as building will commence at the Johnstown, Naas site on September 5th, and it is anticipated that the Centre will be in operation next autumn, in good time for the 1985 breeding season.

It could well be that the higher than average disease outbreaks this year goaded the leaders of the industry into action. There was a distinct possibility that many of the vital overseas export markets would disappear if Ireland was not seen to make a major effort to tackle the disease problem.

Carberry on the double at Leopardstown

1983

TOMMY Carberry (17), who is in the first year of his apprenticeship with Curragh trainer, Jimmy Lenehan, gained the chief laurels at Leopardstown on Saturday, recording a fine double on Seamenco and Ayesha.

Young Carberry is, without doubt, the find of the season, and when winning on Seamenco he was recording his 10th success, and thus lost the right to the maximum allowance. As if to celebrate the occasion, he came along later in the day to win on Ayesha, trained by Lenehan. Incidentally, his winners constituted the two legs of the Tote Double.

The principal contest of the afternoon, the Leopardstown Produce Stakes, was run on the round course, and it was won for the second year in succession by an inmate of John Oxx’s stable. On this occasion it was the youngster, Sauchrie, who, ridden by John Power, came away in the straight to win by six lengths.

John Power had another winning mount earlier in the day, Den’s Romance proving much too good for the opposition in the Glenmalure 2YO Plate.

Scottish Memories, from Paddy Sleator’s stable, was an odds-on chance for the bumper event and the four-year-old won easily. Immediately Mr Francis Flood asked Scottish Memories for his effort, at the turn for home, the issue was quickly placed beyond doubt.