THE 2019/2020 endurance calendar has recently kicked off in the United Arab Emirates and Co Meath’s Amy McAuley was back in action last weekend riding for Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum’s top team F3 Stables based in Dubai.

Starting in her third race in as many weeks, McAuley finished a brilliant third place in Saturday’s Al Marmoom Endurance Cup CEN 120km at Endurance City, Dubai, partnering Tom Jones for F3.

With the first loop of 40km, 256 combinations took to the start line at 7am and McAuley was happy to tuck Tom Jones in the middle of the lead group as she knows the horse well and feels he is placid when surrounded by other horses. The combination completed the first loop in 16th place, with a time of 1:25:59.

After a 30 minute rest both headed out on the second loop and completed the 35km with a time of 1:16:10, now lying in ninth place overall and trailing the leader by 1.14 minutes.

With another 30 minute rest period done, McAuley and Tom Jones took to the third loop which was 27km long and completed in a time of 1:04:05 and an average speed of 25.58 khp which helped propel them up to up to fourth position.

After another 40 minutes of rest and another compulsory vet examination, the combination headed for the final loop, which was 18km in distance.

Now trailing the leader by 1:58 mins, McAuley and her team decided that they wouldn’t push to make up the lead time as a top five finish would be great on this occasion. So McAuley and Tom Jones held their own position of fourth place to the finish line and were promoted to third after the first combination passed the post failed the final veterinary examination.

McAuley was thrilled with the result and the ride she gave Tom Jones, one of her favourite horses.