SLIGO’s Richard Howley scored a five-star win on the French Riviera last week, when he brought the curtain down on the opening day of the Longines Global Champions Tour of Cannes with a tremendous victory on board the exciting nine-year-old gelding Petitfour vd Wareslage.

It was late into the night when Howley, from Enniscrone, entered the arena for the 1.45m speed class, with Britain’s Ben Maher in the lead on Ginger-Blue. Maher had gone clear in 57.83 seconds and 33 combinations had failed to better that time.

That was until Howley and his talented partner, owned by HK Horses, world famous flat jockey Oisín Murphy and Sarah Borthwick, took centre stage.

In a fantastic illustration of symbiotic coordination, the duo blitzed from start to finish, while maintaining deadly accuracy over the obstacles craftily put together by Uliano Vezzani, shaving just over a tenth of a second off Maher’s time, posting 57.70 to take the spoils.

“I planned on the round, but heading in to beat Ben always adds the pressure,” said Howley afterwards. “Obviously he is a world class rider, so it’s an honour to take the win over him today. There was a great atmosphere, great bit of sport tonight - it’s great to come to these venues and put on a show - it’s great fun for all of us.”

Germany’s Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann clinched victory in Saturday night’s Longines Global Champions Tour aboard Messi van ‘t Ruytershof after a thrilling jump-off. Ireland’s Mark McAuley finished in 10th place with the Irish Sport Horse mare GRS Lady Amaro with a clear first round and eight faults against the clock.