ALANNAH Kelly has had plenty to celebrate lately, as her win in the DAFM Studbook Series EI110 final for six-year-olds at Kilguilkey House last weekend came shortly after she attended her graduation ceremony from UCD. Now armed with a degree in Equine Science, she is looking for a job!

Despite lowering a fence show jumping, Kelly led throughout on her own and her mother Caroline’s Irish Sport Horse gelding Cooley Capri Sun who, clear within the time across the country, completed on a penalty score of 26.9. Lying second after the flatwork phase, Clare Abbott wasn’t able to take advantage of Kelly’s show jumping mishap, as she too had a fence down to complete on 27.5 with Marshall and Sarah Riley’s ISH gelding Kilcoltrim Cooley.

The show jumping phase caught out seven of the 10 starters, including Daniel Alderson, who had two down with the third-placed Baby I’m A Star (32.5) and one with Carrowgar Future, who finished fourth on 33.4. The fifth-placed Niamh Tottenham and her home-bred ISH gelding Slieve Callan Solice, a grey son of Tyson, were the only combination to complete on their dressage score (33.4). No one had a problem across the country on Sunday, but four pairings were awarded time penalties.

“The show jumping track was quite tricky and twisty,” commented Kelly.

“My horse is really coming along on the flat and is now very trainable in that phase, he’s just getting better and better.

"I am coached by Heike Holstein, who used to train me as a member of the young rider squad. Like others with six-year-olds, I’d love to be selected for Le Lion – it has been a dream of mine for years – but, as only three can go, it would be difficult.

“If I get him fit enough for it, I may do the 2*-L at Ballindenisk (September 26th to 29th) and then I can start thinking about Le Lion next year!” said Kelly, who was accompanied to Kilguilkey by her parents, Caroline and Paul, who travel with her to all events.

Cooley Capri Sun, who was bred in Co Kilkenny by Tom Moloney, is by Capri van Overis Z out of the Swedish Warmblood mare Simona (by Leuthen I). Previously this season, he and Kelly finished fourth of 21 in a DAFM qualifier at Hillcrest and second of 32 in an EI110 at Ballindenisk.