ROME played host to the Global Champions Tour fixture in Italy over the weekend, with Irish riders making their mark. Sligo man Richard Howley had a good day at the office on Sunday, when he and Mansini Ltd registered a win in the five-star 1.45m speed class, their eighth win so far this year.

There were 29 combinations on the start list, of whom 13 registered clear rounds. Time was of the essence and Howley didn’t hang about, speeding around the course to finish in an unbeatable 50.73 seconds.

Victor Bettendorf (LUX) was right on his heels on board Cancun Torel Z, just four-hundredths of a second behind (50.77), with the final place on the podium going to France’s Edward Levy on Lyon van de Plataan (51.72).

Mansini Ltd is a 15-year-old bay gelding owned by HK Horses and, with Howley’s guidance, he flew round the course, with both speed and accuracy to claim the top spot.

Howley rode Zodiak Du Buisson Z for the Rome Gladiators team, who finished third in what was their home leg of the Global Champions League on Saturday.

Tipperary’s Denis Lynch was also in Rome and brought home some ribbons. Lynch and the 18-year-old stallion Rubens LS la Silla finished fifth in Friday’s five-star 1.45m speed class, when, from 41 starters, they were among 13 who jumped clear rounds. Lynch stopped the clock in 60.91 seconds, which was just off the pace of Brazilian winner Marlon Modolo Zanotelli on ZY-Zento, who finished in 55.28.

Lynch had previously placed seventh in the five-star 1.40m Two-phase class with Mr Boombastic.

Meanwhile, in the two-star classes, Niamh Devlin performed well for Ireland, taking a one-two in Friday’s 1.15m Two-phase class with Captain Marko and Fernhill Clooney respectively. She followed this up with a second place in Saturday’s 1.15m speed class riding Captain Marko.