FRANCE’s Tom Carlile, who recorded a Le Lion double in 2013 and 2014 on Tenareze, set himself up for a repeat on Sunday when landing the CCI2*-L for six-year-olds on the SCEA de Beliard’s home-bred mare Golden de Beliard AA.

Before a delighted French crowd, Carlile posted one of just three clear rounds among the top 10 in the final show jumping phase, moving up from third to claim the gold medal on his fourth-placed dressage score of 27.6 penalties.

Also leaving all the poles intact were Britain’s Tom Jackson who climbed from ninth to fourth on the very consistent Irish Sport Horse mare Midnight Endeavour (Future Trend – Annsfort Coole Robin, by Ricardo Z) and the USA’s Cornelia Dorr who too improved five places to fifth with DHI Qyaracolle Z (30.6). England-based at present, Dorr and the Zangersheide mare by Quinar Z won the CCIYH2*-S for six- and seven-year-olds at Millstreet (1).

Competitive visit

The Anglo Arab mare Golden de Beliard is by Upsilon on whom Carlile won the CICO3* at Millstreet in August 2018 on the rider’s only competitive visit to Ireland. The bay is out of the Jalienny mare Vieusinge du Maury, dam previously of Sirocco du Gers (by Dorsay) who won the seven-year-old title here in 2013 under Carlile.

Jumping after the French rider on Sunday, Britain’s Sarah Bullimore looked as if she too would complete on her dressage score with the British Sport Horse gelding Corimiro but the son of Amiro Z lowered the front pole of the final oxer to finish on 30.4 and drop to third.

The winner of CCI2*-S classes at Alnwick in July and at Charlbury last month, Corimiro is out of the Oldenburg mare Lilly Corinne (by Lovis Corinth) who competed at Le Lion herself and among whose previous produce is the Balou du Rouet gelding Corouet who competed at Le Lion as both a six- and seven-year-old, finishing sixth on the first occasion.

Silver medal

Disappointingly for the USA’s Caroline Martin, who had led from day one in dressage and was the last to compete in this six-year-old class, her ISH gelding HSH Connor knocked the first element of the double at three and she had to settle for the silver medal on a total of 29.2.

As his prefix would indicate, this Connor 48 bay was sourced by Martin’s good friend and business partner Kelley Hutchinson, the pair buying him as a three-year-old from Galway’s Justin Burke. His dam, the Mermus R mare Galwaybay Merstona, is a half-sister to the Dario mare, Simply Fernhill (CSI3*). Martin, who has been based with Pippa Funnell in Britain since late May, was due to compete in the CCI5*-L at Pau on the Jack Of Diamonds gelding Islandwood Captain Jack but withdrew him.

The only Irish rider to start in Sunday’s show jumping phase was England-based Aoife Clark who had been lying sixth overnight with Monbeg Ainslie. Unfortunately, with two fences down and 1.2 time penalties, she dropped to 19th with the Emperor Augustus gelding. The arena party was kept very busy during this morning session.

Two combinations failed to complete Saturday’s cross-country phase, one being the Irish pairing of Meabh Bolger and her husband Brian Flynn’s ISH gelding MBF Back To Back who had been in the silver medal position from day one on 25.3. Unfortunately, the pair fell at the water at six.

“I really don’t know what happened,” said Bolger. “He’s usually very good jumping down into water but just missed this time. However, until then I absolutely loved the whole experience and I definitely want to get back there next year.”

As horses were barred from travelling on the ferries on Sunday night due to rough seas, Flynn didn’t get back to Waterford until Tuesday although her groom, her sister Ciara, flew out of France ahead of her. “Brian stayed at home as we have 17 horses going to the sale in Monart with 13 others heading to the Go For Gold.”

Due to family reasons, Sarah Ennis only rode her dressage test on the six-year-old Stellor Deelite (32.5) and also withdrew Dourough Ferro Class Act (seventh here last season) before the start of the seven-year-old class.