MAX O’Reilly Hyland won the first international Grand Prix of his career in Vejer de la Frontera last Sunday when taking the top honours in the 1.45m two-star feature.
Riding his own 10-year-old gelding Babar de Bussy (by Vicente de Bussy), he was among 11 to jump clear from the starting 52 over the big track on the lovely grass arena. First to go of the 11 in the jumo-off, O’Reilly Hyland set the pace with a decisive clear in 39.50 seconds which left the other riders with everything to do.
However, none were able to catch the Dublin rider who earned just over €6,000 in victory. Spain’s Alberto Márquez Galobardes came closest with the stallion Ucello Massuere in 39.78 to take second place, ahead of his compatriot Julio Arias with Tamino AZ in third. Ireland’s Captain Geoff Curran slotted into seventh place with the Minister for Defence’s 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse HHS Clintstown (OBOS Quality x Cavalier Royale), bred by the late Ita Brennan.
O’Reilly Hyland (26) rides part time alongside running a property development company with his father, Charles, who also competes. He is coached by Thurles Olympian Greg Broderick, who has a huge team of horses and riders at the Spanish venue.
Indeed, there was another win for Ballypatrick Stables on Sunday when newly-crowned Irish national champion Kevin Gallagher won the 1.40m Big Tour with Clark, an eight-year-old Codex One gelding who is owned by Canadian Julia Nagler.
In a hugely competitive class, this combination proved unbeatable with a time of 61.18 seconds. Sweden’s Antonia Andersson came closest to Gallagher’s time aboard Javenia to take second place, ahead of Ireland-based Canadian rider Rebecca McGoldric who finished third with Fleur IV.
Win for Monaghan
Among the other Irish winners at the venue was 21-year-old Sean Monaghan who landed Saturday’s 1.40m Small Grand Prix with Daisy Duggan’s Irish Sport Horse mare EMS Adelaide (Mermus R x Loch Cruise), who was bred by Willie McElhinney.
In a big class with 78 combinations, 18 went clear in the first round. Monaghan’s winning time of 61.33 seconds saw him earn €1,000. Another Irish Sport Horse finished in second place, the eight-year-old Rincoola Milsean, ridden by USA’s Charlotte Jacobs, who is also based at Ballypatrick Stables in Co Tipperary.
By Aldatus Z out of a Cruising mare, Rincoola Milsean was bred by the late Harold McGahern and posted a time of 62.93 seconds to take the runner-up spot. Jacobs will spend the winter circuit in Florida before returning to Ireland again next summer. Kilkenny’s Susan Fitzpatrick was fifth with Keatingstown Quite Chacco (0/ 67.16).
Captain Geoff Curran won Saturday’s 1.30m with the Minister for Defence’s elding Dowth Hall (Flexible x Clover Hill), who was bred by Dr Noel Cawley.
Longford’s Aisling Byrne has made a miraculous recovery following a near career-ending injury and won her first international class since her accident in February 2018. She won Friday’s 1.10m with the Irish Sport Horse mare Wellview Lucy, before also winning Saturday’s class, and admitted she was very emotional when her name was called out.