WEXFORD’s Bertram Allen finished fourth in the five-star Longines Cup of the City of Barcelona Grand Prix at the Real Club de Polo in Barcelona last Sunday.

Riding Ballywalter Farm’s 13-year-old grey mare Molly Malone V (Kannan x Cavalier), Allen was one of seven riders, from the 39 that started, to keep a clean sheet in the first round of Santiago Varela’s 1.55m track. The big technical track saw 10 combinations retire.

The top 10 after the first round returned for the jump-off, with Tipperary’s Denis Lynch just missing out on a place in the timed round, finishing with four faults in 11th place with All Star 5.

Allen was drawn second last to go and posted the quickest round of the day but the second part of the double fell for four faults in a time of 49.43 seconds.

Clear rounds were hard to come by and only two managed a double clear. Belgium’s Pieter Devos was the quickest in a time of 50.66 with the nine-year-old mare Claire Z (Clearway x Coronado). Frenchman Kevin Staut took the runner-up place with Silver Deux de Virton HDC (Kashmir van Schuttershof x Heartbreaker) in 51.74.

Canada’s Eric Lamaze was third, despite picking up two time faults against the clock, to add to his single time fault from the first round, with the 11-year-old gelding Chacco Kid (Chacco-Blue x Come On).

Allen picked up just over €15,000 for his fourth place, while Devos scooped the top prize of €50,000.