DANIEL Bluman made history when posting Israel’s first-ever victory in the €400,000 Rolex Grand Prix at CSIO Rome Piazza di Siena on Sunday afternoon, but Irish eyes were firmly focused on Cian O’Connor who produced a wonderful double clear to finish second.

From a starting field of 44 horse-and-rider combinations, just four combinations managed to keep a clean sheet over the first round of the 1.60m track. They were Bluman, O’Connor, Italy’s Luca Marziani and Belgium’s Oliver Philippaerts.

With 11 to return for the jump-off, Offaly’s Darragh Kenny was among them aboard with Balou de Reventon on four faults and he set the standard early on when returning clear in a fast time of 37.86.

Philippaerts took over the lead with H&M Extra with a clear in 41.73 seconds, but Bluman and the 11-year-old Ladriano Z quickly took over when breaking the beam in 39.47 seconds. Kenny was still on the podium when Marziani faulted at the second last to drop to sixth place.

Fastest in the first round, O’Connor was last to go with his 11-year-old Vigo d’Arsouilles-sired mare Irenice Horta, the mare he purchased early in the year.

A flawless clear in 40.64 seconds was good enough for second place and €80,000, ahead of Philippaerts in third and Kenny in fourth (€40,000).

O’Connor’s delight

Speaking to The Irish Field, O’Connor said: “I’ve only been competing Irenice [Horta] since the Sunshine tour in February and I took my time to get to know her. We jumped a lot of small classes as I wanted to try to figure her out and I think that time I took in the beginning is starting to pay off now.

“Obviously she was very successful with her two previous riders and I knew she could jump anything but I really wanted to go back to basics and try to get her to ride sweeter around the course and stay a bit straighter on the jump.

“La Baule was our first real test together at a high level and she jumped two great rounds in the Nations Cup when jumping four and clear. Last weekend in Rome she felt totally at home in the incredible grass arena in Piazza di Siena.

“Sunday’s Grand Prix was always going to be tough as Rome is known for big jumps and it is without question one of the most prestigious events in the show jumping calendar. Irenice tried her heart out jumping two incredible clear rounds to finish runner up in the feature event.

“PSG Final also jumped brilliantly in Rome. He is still green at five-star level but jumped an outstanding clear in the second round of the Nations Cup to help the team finish second.”

Next on the schedule for O’Connor’s top horses is the Global Champions Tour in Sweden. “Both horses will have two weeks off now and I plan to take them next to the GCT event in Stockholm where I will ride on the Valkenswaard United team.

“I want to develop Final to top level this year by giving him good experience at top shows and as Irenice has a lot of experience already I will more choose certain Grands Prix for her to try and do well in. Ultimately the only goal this year is to help team Ireland qualify for the Olympics in Tokyo.

“I feel very fortunate to have both horses at the same time and I’m incredibly appreciative of all the people around me who make everything possible.”

Bluman, two-time Olympian for Columbia before switching to ride for Israel, said: “I’m still trying to understand what just happened! This is an incredible venue and my favourite Grand Prix, so to be able to tick this off my bucket list is just amazing – it’s going to take some time to sink in just what this victory means!”