WATERFORD’s Anthony Condon landed the biggest win of the weekend at the four-star Bolesworth Internationa Horse Show when romping home in the Equerry Grand Prix with Balzac.

The show, set in the beautiful ground of the Barbour family’s Bolesworth Castle, near the city of Chester, was drenched with sunshine all weekend, a welcome change from the misfortune the venue suffered in 2016.

Course designer Alan Wade built a big 1.60m track for the 43 combinations, representing 10 nations, with the top 25% returning for the jump-off. Only five managed to keep a clean sheet in the first round, and with 11 slots available, the fastest four faulters and the one combination on a single time fault from round one returned against the clock. They included Ireland’s Darragh Kenny and Trevor Breen, both on four faults.

With three past winners of the class among the start list for the jump-off, the stage was set for an exciting conclusion to the show. Co Offaly’s Darragh Kenny was first to go in the second round with Vlock Show Stables’ Team De Coquiere (Heartbreaker x Papillon Rouge) and kept a clean sheet this time in 45.87 seconds. Despite the clear rounds to follow, Kenny’s round was eventually good enough for fifth place and €6,000.

British-based Trevor Breen lowered another two fences in 49.37 to finish in 11th place overall with Willy Matton’s Bombay (Lord Z x Bon Ami). Britain’s Keith Shore had set a good target of 53.53 aboard Mystic Hurricane, but Condon had another idea in his head.

Coming into the jump-off on a score of zero, Condon and Balzac (Oklund x Frisbee Kerellec) set off with a good rhythm and took every chance on the track, breaking the beam with over three and a half seconds to spare over the runner-up in 49.86 seconds.

The 11-year-old KWPN gelding is owned by Condon and Kat Taylor and has made a number of outings on the Irish team this season. Condon picked up the healthy prize fund of €33,000 for his win.

Shore finished runner-up with the only other double clear, and Robert Whitaker filled the final place on the podium with Catwalk IV, after picking up a time fault in each round (1/1 58.83).

Speaking after his win, Condon, who is based just five minutes from the venue at Harthill Stud, said: “He was amazing in both rounds and I’m absolutely delighted with him. Alan Wade had built a really tough course and Keith [Shore] had set a good target in the jump-off. I was lucky enough to just pip him.

“All I’d wanted to do was try and jump a clear round and beat what was in front of me.

“I won the Grand Prix when Bolesworth was a national show and have competed here every year since it started. It’s my local show and it’s absolutely fantastic with amazing facilities.”