Derwin shows her class

IN-FORM Athlone young rider Kate Derwin once again proved her talent when winning Saturday’s feature class, the €5,000 Hive Insurance 1.45m Grand Prix on the sand, at the Avonmore Summer Classic Final in River Lodge.

From 23 starters in the class, 10 produced a first round clear to earn a place in the jump-off. Of these, just five kept a zero score in the decider. Derwin and her 2019 European Junior gold medal mount AHG Whiterock Cruise Down (Cruisings Mickey Finn x Touchdown), who is owned by her father Francis, broke the beam in a time of 35.42 seconds to land victory. The win comes off the back of victory in the 1.50m Premier Series Grand Prix at Balmoral last month.

Adam Carey and Philip Carey’s 10-year-old French-bred gelding Quebello D took second place, stopping the clock almost two seconds behind Derwin in 37.34. John McEntee and Stephex Stables’ Swedish-bred mare Hip Girl were third in 37.98, while fourth went to Tim MacDonagh and Hollypark Galloway (Castlelawn Galloway x Diamond Lad), owned by Jack Lee, when they produced a clear round in 37.98.

Kayleigh Soden provided the only other double clear round aboard Ard Leaderman and they earned fifth place.

Rogan win

Saturday night’s Jim Derwin-sponsored 1.35m speed class held under the lights boasted an entry of 40 competitors. Of these, just eight managed to leave all the fences intact.

Speed was the name of the game and it was Deane Rogan riding Declan McGarry’s seven-year-old gelding De L’Oiseliere (Kapitol D’ Argonne x Oberon Du Moulin) who topped the bill stopping the clock at 61.59 to capture first place.

Adam Carey was once again runner-up riding the Hughes-Bravo owned Quidam de Revel mare Quialina D. They recorded a time of 61.89 to slot into second place. Sophie Richards slotted into third with her own Irish Sport Horse SRS Adventure (Newmarket venture x Aldato), who was bred by Billy Daly in Co Cork, in a time of 61.92, while Sean Monaghan and another seven-year-old gelding Rincoola Milsean (Aldatus Z x Cruising), bred by the late Harold McGahern, were fourth in 62.80.