JOSEPH Murphy rode four horses in three classes last Saturday at Punchestown, winning and placing fifth in the EI115 (Open), winning the EI115 for seven- and eight-year-olds for the second year running but being denied a treble by two costly time penalties in the EI100 for five-year-olds.

With the only double clear inside the time, Murphy landed the 13-runner EI115 (Open) on Devenish Nutrition’s 16-year-old Hermes de Reve mare Gorsehill Pearl (27.9 penalties) with Heidi Brabazon placing second on Red Ace (30.1), having finished two seconds over the time across the country.

The dressage phase winners on 23.1, Jodie O’Keeffe and Reenmore Duke, picked up 18.4 cross-country time penalties to finish third on 41.5. Never one to hang around, James O’Haire beat the clock on the second phase with HFS Eclipse but then had two fences down show jumping for a total of 46.1 while Murphy finished fifth on his first start with new ride Poynstown Star whose final score (46.5) included 14.8 for time over the fixed fences.

There were 13 starters also in the Irish Sport Horse YH Eventing Studbook EI115 class for seven- and eight-year-olds where Murphy recorded a repeat victory on Annette O’Callaghan’s Derroon Diplomat.

The 2013 Ricardo Z gelding picked up 1.6 cross-country time penalties and then show jumped clear to win on 39.8. Here, O’Haire clocked same time as Murphy across the country on Dalestown Castlebar HFS which meant the fence he had down show jumping didn’t affect his final finishing position of second (44).

With the only sub-30 dressage scores, Ian Cassells was a clear leader after the first phase on Millridge Atlantis (22.7), who he retired on the second leg, and was in second on Kellys Quality (23.6) who amassed 21.2 cross-country time penalties before having two fences down show jumping.

“I was delighted with all my horses,” said Killyleagh-based Murphy. “As I’m aiming Gorsehill Pearl at the five-star in Bicton (replacing Burghley early next month), she is going to have a busy enough time over the next few weekends as you need to have your horse and yourself spot-on for an event like that.

“While I’d like to be supporting the event at Necarne (today), there’s an Advanced class at Kilguilkey where I’ve entered Gorsehill Pearl, Derroon Diplomat and Cesar. As Derroon Diplomat is only eight, I won’t do a whole lot with him after that as I’m going to give him plenty of time though we might do a three-day late in the autumn. It’s going to take me a while to get used to Poynstown Star but he too will be aimed at a late season international.”

Great order

As for the event itself, where having combined two days into one there were 19 classes, Murphy commented: “Above ground, conditions weren’t great but the ground itself was in great order. The courses were laid out well to suit conditions and there were nice galloping tracks, a bit like the Punchestown of old. We riders very much appreciate the efforts of Bridget Speirs, Orla O’Neill and Kieran Connors in keeping Punchestown back on the calendar.”

What about the two very costly time penalties which saw him finish third not first in the five-year-old class on My Foxhall Kit? “All I can say is that riding into the wind with rain running down my face I thought I was going fast!”

Murphy had no ride in the 11-strong EI115 where one-time amateur jockey turned international event rider James O’Haire recorded the only double clear within the time to record a first win at this level on Penny Guinness’s nine-year-old Heritage Fortunus mare, Liberty Belle (37.1).

Former underage international rider turned amateur jockey Toni Quail, who was on the mark over hurdles at Sligo two days earlier, picked up 10.4 cross-country time penalties to finish second on Wellan Summertime (49). While on Liberty Belle alone, O’Haire was having his ninth start of the season, Quail was having just her second.

While what few problems there were in jumping in all other classes over the Dereck Hamilton-designed cross-country tracks were well-spread out or technical in nature, here four combinations failed to get through the Moat Pond (15abc) at the first attempt, with one then retiring.