THE French crowd witnessed Germany’s world champions Simone Blum and DSP Alice win the CSIO five-star Grand Prix in La Baule last Sunday, and the star studded podium was completed by Switzerland’s world number one Steve Guerdat, with Ireland’s Darragh Kenny in third place.

Eight combinations made it through the jump-off over the 1.60m track. Britain’s Amy Inglis, who produced a fantastic performance in the Nations Cup on Friday, was the first double clear round aboard Wishes, breaking the beam in 48.84 seconds.

Steve Guerdat was next to take it on and he beat the time with the brilliant mare Albfuehren’s Bianca. Kenny was second last into the ring aboard Ann Thompson’s Important de Muze, and his time of 43.90 seconds was good enough to slot in behind Guerdat momentarily.

However, world champions Blum and the wonderful DSP Alice had other ideas, and when last to go she gave it her all to top the leaderboard in a time of 43.33 seconds. Kenny took home €30,000 for third place.

Kenny’s top owner Ann Thompson recently completed the purchase on the 11-year-old Erco Van T Roosakker-sired gelding. “That’s only his third big Grand Prix in his life, and the other one was the million dollar Grand Prix in Ocala and he was third in that also,” Kenny told The Irish Field this week

“I think he’s a really incredible horse, he’s scopey, careful, brave, and I am really excited to see what he does for the future. I think he can be a big asset for Team Ireland.”

Opening win

Kenny, who was part of the Irish team that finished fourth in Friday’s Nations Cup (reported in last week’s edition), won Thursday’s 1.50m Table A Grand Prix qualifier aboard Vlock Show Stables’ nine-year-old gelding Billy Dorito.

Their time of 67.15 seconds was fractions faster than the runner-up, Canada’s Eric Lamae with Chacco Kid (0 67.31), and Cork’s Shane Sweetnam slotted into third place with the 10-year-old grey gelding Alejandro, who is owned by Seabrook LLC, Spy Coast Farm, LLC and Sweet Oak Farm. Sweetnam took over the ride on the promising talent from Columbia’s Andrea Torres Guerreiro in February.

Louth’s Mark McAuley rounded off a good show when finishing second in Sunday’s 1.45m two-phase class. Riding Eva Lundin’s 15-year-old gelding Miebello, McAuley’s set a blistering second round time of 25.09 seconds, which was only bettered by Frenchman Roger-Yves Bost (Tesway de la Batia), to earn €5,000. Cian O’Connor slotted into fourth place aboard the 13-year-old mare Baronescha (0/ 25.70), the usual mount of his student Nicola Pohl.

McAuley and Miebello had earlier finished third in the 1.45m speed derby, completing with the fastest time of 128.17 seconds, but a single fence on the floor relegated him to third place, earning €6,000. Victory in that class went to France’s Patrice Delaveau.

McAuley’s other placing came in Saturday’s 1.50m jump-off with his wife Charlotte’s home-bred 10-year-old gelding Valentino Tuiliere. They were one of just three double clears in the jump-off in a time of 36.27 seconds to slot into third place and earn €13,995. Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat was the winner with Flair (0/0 34.82).