STEVEN Smith ran all five horses he had entered at the new Northern Region venue of Ash Hollow last Saturday and was rewarded with two wins plus a second and a fourth place finish.

The Gilford rider initiated his brace in the 16-strong EI110 where Karen McKee’s Irish Sport Horse gelding Carrickview Calvani recorded his first win on his sixth start, his second at this level. Only fifth after dressage (31 penalties), Smith and the six-year-old Ramiro B gelding fell further behind with a fence down show jumping and one time penalty in that phase.

However, they were easily the fastest across the country (0.8 of a time penalty) to complete on 36.2 for the win. Bred in Co Armagh by John Haughey, Carrickview Calvani’s dam is the Heraldik mare Partout.

Only three horses jumped double clears, the highest-placed being Julie McClelland’s Goldiva who, with 8.4 cross-country time penalties, finished second (39.9) under Anita Doherty. Completing on the same score but having to settle for third was the Amanda Goldsbury-ridden dressage winner Baby Guinness BW. Goldsbury also recorded a double clear on the ninth-placed HHS Versace whose total of 47.6 included 18.8 cross-country time penalties.

Smith doubled up in the four-runner EI110 (Open) where his total of 28.8 on Virginia Maguire’s home-bred thoroughbred gelding Handsome Starr, a 12-year-old bay by September Storm, included four show jumping penalties. Co Meath’s Nicola Ennis also lowered a coloured pole with the dressage winner on 23.3, Corbally Mountain View, who lost out on the top spot when picking up 3.6 cross-country time penalties.

“It was great for us to welcome a new event to the Northern Region calendar and, hopefully, the Callion family’s Ash Hollow will be a venue we will be visiting for many years,” said Smith. “I was delighted with Carrickview Calvini winning the EI110, he is a very classy six-year-old gelding who will now head to the CCI2*SYH at Lisgarvan where Handsome Starr will run in the 2*-L.

“Amy Ennis Crosbie, who has been based with us for the summer, won the EI110 (J) on Herobrine, so we were delighted for her that her hard work is paying off.”

Smith and his impressive Tullymurry (1) winner Annaghmore Cornoko, who had a fence down show jumping, had to settle for second (29 penalties) in Saturday’s EI100 where Alex Houston completed on her winning dressage score (24) with her home-bred seven-year-old Centre Stage mare My Atlantic Encore. Three of the 19 starters were withdrawn after dressage while two were eliminated across the country.