CIAN O’Connor landed his first Grand Prix win aboard the talented PSG Final in style last Sunday at the four-star show in Samorin, Slovakia.

The nine-year-old gelding, who O’Connor’s Ronnoco Jump Ltd purchased at the start of the season with the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games in mind, has been a vital part of the Irish senior team this year.

The pair jumped a vital clear round to secure victory and help Ireland gain Olympic qualification at the Longines FEI Nations Cup Final in Barcelona last month.

Sunday’s win came at the fantastic indoor facility at the Slovakia venue, when O’Connor and PSG Final were among 12 combinations to clear the first round and go through to the jump-off.

Seven managed to produce a second clear against the clock, but none could catch O’Connor’s time of 38.13 seconds, which earned him €30,855. American young rider Lucas Porter was the runner-up aboard C Hunter in 38.95 seconds, ahead of Switzerland’s Paul Estermann and Lord Pepsi (0/0 39.15).

Speaking afterwards, O’Connor was thrilled with the result. “I’m so happy with Charlie (PSG Final) today. It’s been a huge year for us with every task I asked of this special nine-year-old being his first time.

“All year I tried to keep him for the team and never went fast in individual classes as I really wanted Olympic qualification more than anything else for Team Ireland.

“This was the first real opportunity here I had to go against the clock on him and he answered every question and more. It also marks our first international Grand Prix victory together so I’m really excited about our future together. Full credit as always must go to my staff particularly my groom Mie and all my Karlswood team,” he added.

O’Connor finished sixth in Saturday’s two-star 1.45m Grand Prix aboard his new mount Valdocco des Caps, just once place behind his stable rider Ross Mulholland in fifth with Carasina HD.

The pair were among nine clears in the first round of the class. Mulholland and the eight-year-old mare, owned by Reitsportanlage Dagobertshausen GmbH and CO.KG, were one of five clears in the jump-off in a time of 43.31 seconds to slot into fifth place and earn €1,500. O’Connor and the 10-year-old gelding faulted twice against the clock in 36.11 to finish sixth. Victory went to Belgium’s Gudrun Patteet and Kashmira Z (0/0 35.32).