THE six-year-old ‘Cruising’ National Championship at the RDS last Sunday was a memorable day for breeders Aidan and Ray Carroll as two home-breds topped the leaderboard.
It was Kayleigh Soden’s CBI Bella Donna who was guided to victory by Vincent Byrne when fastest in the 10-way jump-off and one of just four combinations to produce a double-clear round from a start list of 37. They saw off Shane Goggins and CBI Karhari who claimed the runner-up position.
Following the win, Byrne said: “I’ve had her since she was four years old for her owner Kayleigh Soden from Kilkenny, they bought her when she was three. She is a big mare so we’ve taken our time with her to let her mature and grow.
“Last year with Covid she probably missed out a little bit but she did do the Breeders’ Classic with just a time fault in the final and then went on to Cavan for the final of the Irish Sport Horse league and finished third. This year she has been very consistent; she was second overall in the ISH Studbook Series and now with this win she’s heading to the Breeders’ Classic and hopefully she can continue to do well.
“The ring in Dublin didn’t faze her too much which was great; the big ring actually suited her. In the first round I did six to the final fence, a lot of people did seven but it was just easier to let her canter up to the last and it helped with the time allowed.
“Again in the jump-off it was easy for her to go on the longer stride when asked and make up the time so her size is working for her which is good. Hopefully she will go on to Lanaken.”
Competitive
A total of 10 combinations provided first round clears to progress to the timed decider. Mikey Pender had provided the first clear in round one, and therefore should have been first to go in the jump-off but because he was held up with the prize giving in the previous class, Paddy O’Donnell moved up with Ciara Walsh McIntyre’s home-bred mare Tullogher Lady Liberty.
By Indoctro, she is out of Dalivia VDL by Indorada. They were unlucky at the third fence where they collected four faults in 41.18 to finish in seventh place.
Second to go was Shane Goggins riding Denis Gallagher’s gelding CBI Karhari (Goodluck VDL x Kroongraaf). They set the early pace when fault-free in a time of 39.27 and that held until the very end when they eventually had to settle for the runner-up spot.
Third to go was Sarah Connell aboard Gliding Light (Aganix du Seigneur x Harlequin du Carel). They had the second part of the double down in 40.41 for sixth place.
The Vincent Digby-owned and bred DNF Firefly (Orestus x Quality Safari), ridden by Darragh Ryan, was fourth in. They faulted at the second fence and never really recovered their rhythm to finish with 12 to add in 42.50 for 10th place.
Mikey Pender slotted in as fifth to go on Marion Hughes’ mare HHS Cornetta (Cornet Obolensky x Acarado). They had two fences down to finish on eight in 42.80 which put them in ninth place.
Jason Higgins, riding his own and Meabh Bolger’s Heritage MBF (Eldorado Van De Zeshoek x Tangelo Van De Zuuthoeve), left all the fences up in a decent time of 39.96 for eventual third place.
Kevin Gallagher looked like he was going to set a new target with Alberto Hawa Ascencio’s Ballypatrick Tangelo (Tangelo Van De Zuuthoeve x Vechta), but a fault at the last saw their hopes dashed and they had to settle for fifth as the fastest four-faulter in 36.52, which was the fastest time of the class.
The Army Equitation School’s Captain Charlene Kehoe and the Minister for Defence’s mare DHF Alliance (Ard VDL Douglas x Lux Z) delivered a clear round in 43.59 which would be good enough for fourth.
Francis Connors partnered Richi O’Hara’s Kilbunny Vixen (Kannan x OBOS Quality) into eighth place after they had one fence down in 47.49.
Vincent Byrne was last to go with CBI Bella Donna. By Zapatero VDL out of CSF Lulu (Luidam), she showed her class and broke the beams in a time of 38.91 seconds to take the top prize €4,300 and the Michael Moran Memorial Trophy. Aidan Carroll of Carroll Brothers International (CBI) picked up the breeder’s prize.