KILKENNY’s Richie Moloney and Equinimity LLC’s Carrabis Z landed one of the biggest wins of their career to date when they won last Saturday night’s $380,000 Douglas Elliman Grand Prix CSI ***** to dominate week nine of the 2016 Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida.

Competing under the lights of the international ring at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Centre, Moloney topped a field of 42 starters and an eight-horse jump-off, chased by New Zealand’s Sharn Wordley and Casper in second and America’s Lillie Keenan aboard Super Sox in third.

Alan Wade set the track for the feature event, with eight clears advancing to the jump-off, resulting in three double clear rounds.

Keenan and Chansonette Farm’s Super Sox set the pace over the short course with a time of 47.11 seconds to eventually earn third place honors. Wordley and the Sky Group’s Casper were next to go with a faster time of 46.69. Moloney and Carrabis Z then crossed the finish line in the winning time of 45.04.

America’s Kent Farrington and RCG Farms’ Uceko, and fellow countryman Todd Minikus and Two Swans Farm’s Babalou 41 were both faster, but had four faults along the way. Farrington and Uceko finished fourth with a score of four in 42.65 while Minikus and Babalou placed fifth with four faults in 42.67.

Moloney and Carrabis Z, a 13-year-old Zangersheide stallion (Canabis Z x Grannusso), have been a team since 2012 and have many great wins together. Most recently, the duo was part of the winning Irish team in week eight’s Nations’ Cup.

A delighted Moloney commented: “My horse jumped great tonight. He was a little looky into the double in the first round. It was a tough enough line. When I did the jump-off, he was jumping better than the first round. He was more relaxed and really jumping. It is a great win. I was happy enough being clear in the first round and I could not be happier.

“When I jumped, the plan was just to try and beat who was ahead of me,” Moloney said of the jump-off. “I knew there were one or two after me that would probably be faster. I was lucky enough tonight we got the win in the end. My horse deserves it. He was very unlucky last week in the Grand Prix.

“We had one down and it was probably my fault, so it was nice to come back tonight and do him justice because he deserved to be clear last week. This is his third big Grand Prix win in the last six months. He is a great horse for me and he has really stepped up in the last 12 months.”

Moloney thanked the sponsors of the night’s class, Douglas Elliman, and also praised his owners at Equinimity LLC, including Diana and Jenji Mercer, who were there to celebrate his win.

“The Mercer family are great owners and great people to work for,” he acknowledged. “I appreciate them very much and it is nice to give them this win here tonight.

“I have been there five years and you could not find better people to work for.”

For Sharn Wordley, the night’s second place finish was fantastic with his mount Casper, a 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Contender x Baloubet du Rouet).

“I have had him since end of circuit last year and this was his first five-star,” Wordley detailed. “I was really happy with him - he was double clear in the WEF (Challenge Cup) on Thursday and he got better as the week went through. He learned a lot here and he is jumping fantastic. I am really excited about him.”

Wordley spoke of his strategy for the jump-off, stating, “Because it was his first really big class under the lights, my strategy was just to go clear and medium fast because I was hoping the end result was people would try to go a little faster and have some rails down. Then I would get results without actually having to use my horse up too much. I got lucky and he got second, which is pretty exciting in a five-star.”

Wordley also spoke of the night’s course, noting, “Alan Wade is one of my favourite course builders, and I think one of the best ones in the world. I have jumped quite a few of his courses recently, and I really enjoy them.

“Tonight’s course really used all facets of show jumping. The horse had to be really rideable and careful. There were a lot of tight lines with big verticals. It really tested the rider as well.

“If you had a hole in any one part of it, you were not going to do so well. He seems to get just the right amount of riders in the jump-off to make it interesting. It was a fair course and tough, like any five-star ever is.”

JOY FOR KEENAN

Lillie Keenan was thrilled to get a third place finish in the night’s class with her mount Super Sox, a 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Salito x Silvio I. Keenan (19) is currently in her freshman year at Harvard University and splitting time between Boston and Wellington throughout the winter. She attended classes Monday through Wednesday, and flew to Florida last Thursday to compete in the WEF Challenge Cup, the Grand Prix qualifier.

Keenan also switched trainers this season and began riding with Co Meath’s Cian O’Connor as she moves up to competing at the higher level and was full of praise for O’Connor. Saturday night’s Grand Prix was Keenan’s first five-star with Super Sox and a great finish.

“I have had him for almost two years now and I have to say, he is a special horse, but the programme I have behind me makes all the difference,” Keenan stated. “The background team is on a level unlike any other I have ever seen. I was only jumping that horse over the summer in two-star and three-star Grand Prix, really trying to work on my rideability, my flatwork, and my position and effectiveness, and two months ago Cian (O’Connor) told me, ‘When we get to Wellington, you are going to jump a five-star and you are going to jump double-clear’. I do not know if he has a crystal ball, but he certainly knows how to plan and aim for a class, so it is really exciting for me. It is my first five-star on the horse, it is the first time I have ever jumped clear in a five-star, and it is the best result I have ever had in Wellington in a night class, so it is a night of firsts.”

Meanwhile, Conor Swail was 10th in the $86,000 Suncast 1.50m championship jumper classic on Dillinger, (by Contender), owned by Susan and Ariel Grange. Victory went to Canada’s Eric Lamaze with Rosana du Park, an 11-year-old Selle Francais mare by Kannan. Swail posted 12 faults with Susan Grange’s Martha Louise in the Grand Prix but enjoyed some consolation when runner-up on Cita in a $6,000 1.40m speed class.

Shane Sweetnam was also out of luck in the $380,000 Grand Prix but last week won a $35,000 class with Cyklon.