SUNDAY was a good day at the office for Westmeath’s Francis Derwin, when he steered the 11-year-old chesnut gelding Flexi K (ISH) (Flex A Bill (ISH)[TIH] x Deeply Dippy K (ISH) x Luidam (KWPN); bred by Knightfield Stud) to win the four-star 1.50m Jump-off class at the Morocco Royal Tour in El Jadida. From 23 starters, just five jumped clear first time out to secure their chance to jump again. All but one of them kept all the poles intact second time round, with Derwin the fastest of them in a time of 33.18, despite being first to go in the jump-off. His nearest challenger, Italy’s Emanuele Guadiano on Chalou’s Love PS was over a second behind in 34.47.

Friday saw the on-form Jessica Burke take the runner-up spot in the four-star 1.50m Grand Prix qualifier on 14-year-old bay gelding Express Trend. Eight of the 33 starters jumped clear. Burke finished in 56.45 seconds, just a second behind the winner, Italy’s Emanuele Gaudiano on Nikolaj de Music (55.44).

Bred and owned by Liam Nicholas, ‘Trendy’ is by Future Trend (OLD) out of Condios Express (ISH) by Condios (HOLST) and is a consistent performer, while his Galway rider has been accumulating ribbons lately.

Jessica Burke and African Affair took second place in the four-star 1.50m Winning Round class at the Morocco Royal Tour in El Jadida \ Thomas Reiner

Not to be outdone, 32-year-old Burke rode her other mount, 13-year-old chesnut stallion African Affair into second place in the four-star 1.50m Winning Round class on Saturday. This time, of 23 on the start list, 12 made it through to the jump-off. Burke had a fence down in the first round, but was among the fastest of the four-faulters and went through to jump again. She certainly made up for it second time out, jumping clear in 39.87 to claim second place. The class was won by Khaled Almobty (KSA) on Davenport VDL (38.53).

Sunday’s 1.55m Grand Prix saw two Irish in the top 10, with Jenny Rankin on Ibiza placing sixth, followed by Seamus Hughes Kennedy on ESI Rocky in seventh. Eight of the 30 starters made it through to the jump-off, where Adrian Schmid (SUI) on Chicharito 11 was the only one to remain fault-free, in a time of 45.54 seconds. Rankin incurred four faults in 44.32, while Hughes Kennedy finished on eight faults in 38.86.