Sweetnam is a Star

NINETEEN-year-old Abbie Sweetnam won Saturday’s Horse Sport Ireland-sponsored 1.40m Grand Prix qualifier which offered a hefty prize fund of €25,000.

Riding her father Barra’s eight-year-old mare Brown Star Z (Big Star Jnr K Z x Numero Uno), the combination posted a superb double clear in 41.10 seconds to win €6,250.

This victory comes off the back of winning the eight and nine-year-old RDS National Championships qualifier at The Meadows EC last month.

A startlist of 71 was soon reduced to just 14 for the timed decider and of these, just five managed to keep a clean sheet throughout.

Daren Hopkins and Leo Carey’s 11-year-old stallion Numero Cruise (Numero Uno x Cruising) came closest to catching Sweetnam when they recorded a time of 41.25 to take second place.

The ever-consistent Captain Clover gelding Tabby, ridden by Cian Harrison, slotted into third in 42.47, while Alan O’Regan was fourth with Frances O’Regan’s Freedam (Guidam x Furisto) in 43.29.

Keonan stables Ltd’s Erico, ridden by Britain’s Nicole Kershaw, took fifth in 46.13, ahead Hannah O’Shea and Sandra Duffy’s Luidam mare Ardnacashel Coovella were sixth. They picked up a single time fault in the first round before produced a second round clear in 42.06.