TWO Northern Region riders won the three top-rated classes last Sunday at Ballindenisk, where Joseph Murphy recorded a second double within eight days, while Lucca Stubington landed one of the country’s rare EI120 classes on Kiltown Watson.

Sweet Wall Eventing’s stable jockey and Jackie Harris’ 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding were lying fifth of nine, following Marie Hennessy’s judging of the dressage phase, but with the only double clear and inside the time at that, they claimed the honours on 36.8 penalties.

Murphy filled the runner-up spot on board Belline Fighting Spirit, whose total of 39 included four show jumping penalties, while another NR rider, Steven Smith, finished third on Newferry Jagermeister (41.3), who had a fence down show jumping and picked up 1.2 cross-country time penalties.

“It was brilliant to win,” enthused Stubington. “Kiltown Watson is new to this level, but I always thought he could step up and now he has done it. He has been doing a lot of intermediates, but you don’t know until you ask if they can cope with the upgrade. As we have all of our qualifications now for a four-star, he’ll have a bit of a break and hopefully we will do a four-star by the end of the summer.

“Since selling Zeevagh Green earlier in the year, I have been short of horse power, but Quingenti has recovered from a serious illness he suffered six months ago and jumped double clear recently in a 1.10 and 1.20. He could be back out at Glenpatrick next month. Also, I’ve lots of lovely four-year-olds coming on so have plenty to keep me occupied.

“Peter Fell and his team at Ballindenisk did an amazing job with the ground on the cross-country. We went down on Saturday and the rain overnight was awful, but there was no sign of water standing anywhere on Sunday, nor was it slippy anywhere. It was just perfect.”

Murphy double

Murphy’s double was recorded on two ISH mares. Sarah Hughes’ 10-year-old Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan bay Shannondale Mari initiated the brace, when following up her win in the EI110 (Open) at Clonmahon House eight days earlier by landing the six-runner EI115 (Open) here on her winning dressage score (25.2). Daniel Meagher fared best of the rest on A Classic Sportsfield whose total of 31.5 included 2.4 cross-country time penalties.

The Murphy double came up in the EI115, where his own My Foxhall Kitshowed a welcome return to form. On 28.6 penalties, the seven-year-old Orestus bay held a marginal lead after dressage which she maintained following show jumping despite lowering one of the fences; only four of the 13 starters left all the poles intact.

Across the country, My Foxhall Kit couldn’t be faulted and it is hoped that she can now kick on again from here.

Daniel Alderson finished second with Global Javall Gold (32.9), who also picked up four show jumping penalties, as Heidi Hamilton slotted into third when The Sequel (34.8) recorded the only double clear inside the time.

“The Fells put on a great show again on Sunday,” commented Murphy. “The cross-country rode very well and it was great that the arenas stood up to the weather. It wasn’t just a good event it was enjoyable as well.

“I was delighted with the two mares who are very different and have to be ridden differently. I was more forceful than usual with My Foxhall Kit across the country, sending her forward all the time, and she seemed to enjoy being ridden that way.”

This weekend, Murphy is competing at Alnwick where he rides both Shannondale Mari and his other Clonmahon House winner, Barrichello, in the CCI3*-S while My Foxhall Kit lines out in the CCI2*-S with another stable-companion, Dstud Flirtation.