JESSICA Burke and Kashino added a National Grand Prix victory at the Flavours of Fingal show last Saturday to their long list of accomplishments earned over the years.

Reunited just for the day, Burke was free to stand in for regular rider Raphael Lee at the Donabate, Co Dublin, show as her own horses were resting having just returned from Belgium.

Speaking to The Irish Field after the class, the Galway rider praised the show. “I’m absolutely delighted with the win. It is a fabulous show. There’s not too many of those country type of shows left anymore so it was great to go to a venue with such a great atmosphere and in such a picturesque setting,” Burke said.

“It can be hard to get good grass arenas, there are a few places like Balmoral, Tattersalls and Barnadown where it’s good, but a lot of the time you are on sand. The footing was great and good horses jumped really well on it.

“I had two six-year-olds and in the qualifying class on Friday there were looking and a bit wary but by the Saturday they had gotten their bearings and jumped well, they learned something which is what you want.

“It’s good sometimes to make them think a bit, and the grass makes riders think a little more too, it’s maybe not as easy as what we are used to so it’s a little more of a challenge for us too which I enjoy.

Speaking about her round, she added: “Tom (Holden) had built a nice track which rode well. He incorporated the natural hills in the arena into the track, so once again it made the rider think a little more.

“I know Kashino well and she never disappoints. Her turns are always so smooth and quick and she is so balanced that you can adjust her with ease. I had a good turn into the double and then another nice right-hand turn passing the big tree into the skittles fence.

“I got eight strides to the final fence which made up some time I think. I probably could have done one less from one to two but as first to go I didn’t risk it. She is a complete winner and it was lovely to take the victory here.

“My plan now is to take this weekend off, we are then heading into a busy time; my two six-year-olds Lux A Special Lady (Lux Z x Coille Mor Hill) and Orestus Clover (Orestus x Clover Hill) are heading for Dublin and we will do the two remaining studbook sport horse classes in Cork and Tattersalls in the run-up to that.

“I think we are in with a fighting chance in Dublin. Lux A Special Lady won the four-year-olds there in 2017 and has a good record in the studbook classes as a five and six-year-old and Orestus Clover has had several wins in horse board classes as a five and six-year-old.”

Jump-off

Quite a small field of 31 lined out for the class and this number was soon reduced to just seven for the jump-off against the clock.

Burke had two through so she was first to go with Jackie Lee’s nine-year-old mare Kashino (Cassino x Captain Clover). Fluid turns and a forward stride to the last saw the combination break the finish beam in a time of 38.36 to leave it up to the remaining six to catch them.

Fellow Galway rider Tim MacDonagh was second in aboard Hollypark Boom Boom (Heritage Fortunas x Ramiro B). They too managed to leave all the fences intact and stopped the clock at 39.34 seconds, almost a second slower than Burke, but this would still be good enough to see them take the runner-up spot in the final line-up.

Oisin Aylward and Barry O’Connor’s Danish-bred mare Syhoejegaards Hurrycane Dice ran into trouble at the double where both parts fell to see them finish with eight faults to add in seventh place.

Captain Geoff Curran was next with the Minister For Defence’s HHS Clinstown (OBOS Quality x Cavalier Royale). The eight-year-old gelding produced another foot perfect round, stopping the clock at 39.79 for fourth place.

Sophie Richards was next to go with Carol Gee’s impressive seven-year-old gelding MHS Fernhill (Cardento x Guidam). They too posted a lovely clear round, stopping the clock in 41.07 for eventual fifth place.

Edward Doyle Jnr and Billy Guilder (Billy Congo x Cavalier) posted their second clear round in 39.59 to slot into third place, before Burke was last to go with her second mount, Gabriel Slattery’s eight-year-old stallion Castlelawn Captain Junior (Captain Clover x Diamond Lad). She was slower this time in 42.38 to occupy sixth place.

The 11th round of the Underwritingg Exchange National Grand Prix league took place in Omagh yesterday with the 12th round taking place in Clonmel tomorrow (Sunday).