DARRAGH Ryan proved on form on Sunday morning at the Dublin Horse Show when triumphing in the Five-Year-Old Flexing National Championships. Partnering BP First Editions, Ryan led from the off to clinch the win in the Horse Sport Ireland-sponsored €10,000 class.

By Verdi, BP First Editions is out of the Laughtons Flight-sired dam Ballypatrick Flight. A half-sister to Greg Broderick’s Rio Olympic Games mount MHS Going Global, Ballypatrick Flight was herself a prolific winner on the national circuit with Broderick.

Bred by Austin Broderick, BP First Editions was purchased by Ronan Rothwell and David Cullen as a three-year-old. The mare is already contributing to the Boleybawn breeding programme with a colt foal on the ground this year by Cicero Z and was the winner later in the day of the Broodmare Futurity class.

Speaking after the win, Ryan said: “She has been very consistent and she already seems to be a winner at this early stage of her career. She won the qualifier in Mullingar to get here, won the first day and today. Lanaken will be on the agenda now. I want to say a big thank you to the whole team at Ballypatrick, we have 15 horses here this week and it’s been long days for everyone but thankfully it is paying off.”

Frank Glynn had set the challenge for the 16 starting competitors and with the first two combinations posting faultless rounds it looked set to have a big number through to the jump-off. This however proved not to be the case with only four riders in total finding the key to Glynn’s course.

Ryan played pathfinder around the shortened and raised course and set a target that just couldn’t be beaten. Setting off at a good pace, Ryan’s brave approach to the final three fences saw him log a time of 42.21 seconds to put the pressure on the remaining riders.

Returning champion Michael Pender looked set to claim the championship for a second time getting progressively quicker with HHS Catwalk. Pender came home over a second quicker when the clock showed 40.96 but with a single error relegated him to eventual third place.

Bred by Thomas Hughes, HHS Catwalk is by Cit Cat out of the Clover Echo-sired dam HHS Clo Jo. Owned by Marion Hughes, HHS Catwalk was only one of a number of horses representing Hughes’ Kilkenny-based operation at the show. Hughes was subsequently awarded the prize for the leading breeder in the national showjumping classes on Sunday afternoon.

Vincent Byrne faulted at the same fence with the Luidam-sired Pearls Princess Gervantus. Trying hard to catch the time, Byrne was put out of contention with a refusal and finished on a score of four faults in a time of 54.86.

Derek McConnell, as last to go, knew to take the tactical approach and aimed for a steady clear with the Mermus R-sired Dothraki Warlord. McConnell’s more sedate pace of 51.32 paid dividends when he recorded the only other double clear round of the day to secure the runner-up position.

The final two placings were filled by the fastest four-faulters in the first round. Gerard Clarke and King Lupin (Lux Z – Cruising) had faulted early and upped the pace to conclude their round in 73.40 while Cathal McMunn had faulted at the penultimate fence with Clair du Lune (Quality Touch – Argentinus).