IT was a double success for Ireland at Arezzo last Sunday when Kilkenny’s Jack Ryan rode the nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding DSH Lucky Junior (BBS McGregor x Luidam (KWPN)), owned and bred by his uncle Seamus Drea, to win the four-star Gold Tour 1.55m Grand Prix.

There were 50 on the start list and just seven of them jumped clear within the time allowed in the first round to proceed to the jump-off, with only three managing double clears. Ryan finished best of them all, when double clear in the fastest jump-off time of 40.47 seconds to claim the €26,500 top prize. Jack also rode DSH Lucky Junior’s sire, BBS McGregor, bred by his mother Marguerite Ryan, with great success.

“My horse DHS Lucky Junior, bred by my uncle and by a horse, BBS McGregor, who I used to compete, gave me everything today.

"He jumped absolutely fantastic in both rounds and I’m absolutely delighted with the win,” Ryan said.

His nearest challenger in the class was Germany’s Jens Baackmann on Lorenz 86 (40.85), with the podium being completed by French rider Robin Lesqueren on FBI d’Ellipse (42.26). Another Irishman, Thomas Ryan, just missed out on a podium place when finishing fourth with Jezebeau BC with an unfortunate four faults in the jump-off in 41.10.

Young horses taking centre stage on Tuesday and Wednesday during week two of the four-star Toscano Tour II in Arezzo. Wednesday’s seven-year-old 1.35m jump-off class saw Lt Michaeli Byrne ride LMK Derry into fifth place out of the 67 starters. Byrne jumped double clear in a jump-off time of 33.79 for fifth place, with class winner Eiken Sato (JPN) on Contimaloua PS stopping the clock in 31.57.

Jack Ryan got off the mark on Thursday when he claimed third place from 51 starters in his division of the Silver Tour 1.40m two-phase class, riding Soblensky vh Scheefkasteel Z to a double clear round in 25.29. Thomas Ryan on Cordento placed eighth (26.78).

There were 103 starters in total, with Jack placing sixth overall. Italian class winner Giacomo Casadei on Tamis was not going to be caught when clocking a very speedy 21.97.

Susan Fitzpatrick on Hector de Kezeg placed ninth in the Gold Tour 1.40m speed class from a start list of 87, while Jack Ryan rode Calgrafi DWB (28.85) into seventh place in the Silver Tour 1.35m two-phase class of 96. The Gold Tour 1.50m Grand Prix qualifier on Friday saw 95 on the start list, with Commandant Geoff Curran on Hawthornhill placing 10th.