JUNIOR rider Gary Dooley got the perfect send-off before heading off to be based in Germany in two weeks’ time, when he won the second round of the SJI Autumn Grand Prix league at Duffy’s Equestrian Centre last Saturday.

Riding O’Connell Sport Horses’ nine-year-old mare, OCS Tolan, he saw off stiff competition in the 15-way decider to secure the victory.

By Tolan R out of Coco Chic (Touchdown), she was bred by the late Harold McGahern.

Following the class, Gary told The Irish Field about his winning mount. “We have her for about a year and a half now. She was very green when we got her, so we just jumped her around 1.20m to get her going and she just stepped up in the past few months,” he said.

“Denis O’Connell owns her. He lives near us and has several horses stabled with Paul Duffy, I ride a few of them. His son Cian rode her at a couple of shows before me, she was broken and produced as a youngster by Paddy O’Donnell.

“She is a lovely mare. She can be a bit strong, but she’s very careful. I had her in Lier, Belgium last week and she finished second in the 1.40m Young Rider Grand Prix.

"I would hope that she will jump a two-star in time, and maybe more when she’s a little older.

“In the jump-off on Saturday, I did one less from fence one to two; most people did nine and I got there in eight. I got a good shot back to the third fence and I got it on a good angle. I had a good gallop over to the oxer and then I went a bit wider back into the double to set her up well for it.

“She’s quick across the ground. She’s small enough, but covers a lot of ground, she has a very big stride.”

Cian added: “I’m moving to Germany in two weeks, so the plan now is that the 1.40m in Maryville will be my last show in Ireland. She’ll go on a break after that, she’s done a lot this year. I’ll bring her out to Germany after about a month or two.

“I’m going out to be based with Paul’s son, Michael Duffy, and will also bring CSF Olympic Jewel and a six-year-old that belongs to Michael (Killard Be Mine).

“I’ve been riding with Paul for the past few years. I spend a few hours riding in his yard and then come back and ride my own. I’ve just finished my Leaving Certificate and am hoping to make horses my career, hopefully this is just the beginning.”

Jump-off

A starting field of 28 was reduced to 15 for the jump-off. Just half-a-dozen combinations managed to keep a clean sheet through the second round, Dooley was fastest of these, stopping the clock in a very quick 34.79 with OCS Tolan.

The runner-up spot went to Darren Maloney aboard Michael Moloney’s gelding Love To Be Cruising (Cruisings Micky Finn x Love To Be) in 36.84.

Second Lt Raphael Lee and the Minister For Defence’s eight-year-old mare Killossery Kilshane slotted into third place in a time of 37.09.

By Peppermill, Killossery Kilshane is out of Killossery Kruisette, who competed up to Nations Cup level with former Irish Army Equitation School rider, Captain David O’Brien.

Bred by Laura Glynn, her dam has already produced a number of promising young performers including 2016 six-year-old world champion, Killossery Kaiden, and 1.50m international performers, FTS Killossery Kusokurae (now Killossery Konfusion) and Killossery Kuidam.

Fourth place went to John Carey’s eight-year-old MD Sandyhill Princess Mia (Numero Cruise x Iroko), bred by Michael Egan and ridden by Denise Hopkins.

Damien Griffin and his own seven-year-old Kilnamac Louis (OBOS Quality 004 x Lux Z), bred by James J Ryan, were fifth, while Mark Duffy riding Karen Geoghegan’s Belgian-bred eight-year-old Dragonheart Z (Dallas VDL x Plot Blue) took sixth.

The next and third round of the SJI Autumn league takes place in Sceilig Equestrian in Co Cork on October 6th.