THE Brennan family completed an impressive one-two-three in the 1.40m National Grand Prix in Hollypark last Saturday.

Eoin took the win aboard Limestone Briarhill Lui, as well as third place with Eskola M, while his brother Timmy slotted into the runner-up spot riding Diadema Della Caccia.

Speaking after the win, Eoin said: “I’m delighted to win the Gain/Alltech Grand Prix here in Hollypark. I was riding Limestone Briarhill Lui. The mare has been on top form recently.

“We got her last year, she’s by Kings Cornet, out of a Luidam mare named Briarhill Cruise and was bred by Anne Coyne.

“She’s been very good to me. We won a couple of classes abroad, but this is probably her best victory so far.

“I was third to go and I planned on going quite quickly. I knew I had a second horse in the jump-off, but he takes more time in the air, so I thought I would be faster with her. I tried to go as fast as I could and it paid off.

“There’s always a good bit of rivalry between myself and Timmy, we’re a very competitive family, we push each other the whole time, so I’m delighted to get ahead of him today.

“I think I won it on the turn back to the double, I probably did one less than Timmy there. I think we did similar strides everywhere else, except I think I did one less to the last. That was probably the only difference.

“We haven’t taken any embryos from her yet, we will probably try to take one from her for next year. She is a quality mare, so it would be nice to breed on.

“The journey home will probably be quite quiet, Timmy will probably be disappointed. But a win here is a win for all of us in our team, so it’s okay.

“She hasn’t done a Premier Series Grand Prix yet, her next show will be Mullingar international and she may do one there.

“This is my first time competing in Hollypark. It’s a great venue and it’s been a really good show. I’d like to thank the class sponsors Gain/Alltech and also my own sponsor TRM for keeping my horses looking so healthy.”

Jump-off

Some 36 combinations lined out for the fifth leg of the Gain/Alltech 1.40m league. Of these, 14 produced a first-round clear over the John Doyle-designed track.

First to go in the jump-off was Vincent Byrne riding Flaminia Straumann’s German-bred stallion Quantino (Quarz x Coriano). They left all the fences intact, stopping the clock at 36.16 seconds, which would keep them in the money in sixth place.

Second in was Rhys Williams with another German-bred, Williams Sport Horses Ltd’s Cowboy Balou (Cornets Balou x Poker). They had one fence down in 40.39.

Eoin Brennan was third in, riding Limestone Briarhill Lui. A forward pace from the off, clear over all the fences saw them break the finish beams in 34.87, a time that would not be bettered and would see them take the top spot and the majority of the €4,000 on offer.

Liam O’Meara and his own home-bred stallion Sir Jim Jim (Boherdale Clover x Errigal Flight) posted a second clear round in 42.27, which would leave them outside the top six.

Robyn Moran and Vera Griffin’s Cushlas Fryday (Hector Van D’Abdijhoeve x Apache D’Adriers) also left all the poles in place, but were behind the pace in 43.04.

Sacha Larrive Petit riding Martina Romagnoli’s gelding Darius Peguignon had two down for eight faults.

Timmy Brennan was seventh to go aboard Tim Brennan’s Diadema Della Caccia (Diamant De Semilly x Cardento). A clear round in 35.02 saw them take the runner-up spot.

In the money

Cathal Daniels and his own Cappog Tomy (Camiro De Haar Z x S Creevagh Ferro Ex Siebe) had one fence on the ground, while Lee Carey and Luxity (O.B.O.S Quality 004 x Lux Z) were clear in 37.06, which kept them just inside the money in eighth place.

Junior, Jill Greene and Pat Greene’s Dutch-bred mare Hazel produced a second-round clear in 42.76, while Eoin Brennan and his second mount Eskola M (Singapore x Mermus R) also didn’t touch a pole in a faster time of 35.34 for third place.

Coen Williams riding Williams Sport Horses Ltd’s French-bred stallion Elsandro Du Bois (Sandro Boy x Diamant De Semilly) were fault-free, stopping the clock in 36.10 for fifth place.

Stephen Gibbons with Jane Gibbons’ Belgian-bred gelding Cassius (Canabis Z x Up to Date M) posted a second clear round, crossing the finish in 35.67 for fourth place.

Last to go, James Brennan riding Sinead Brennan’s MHS Everything (Quidam Junior I x Cavalier Royale) left all the fences intact in 36.39 for seventh place.

The next round of the Gain/Alltech National Grand Prix league takes place today in Kernan’s, with the seventh round in Wexford tomorrow, May 26th.