MARION Hughes’ mare HHS Fortune ridden by Mikey Pender made it two in-a-row when capturing a second win in the final of the seven-year-old Irish Sport Horse Studbook Series at Coilóg last Sunday.

HHS Fortune, by Catoki (Holst) out of HHS Daisy (Ard VDL Douglas), was bred by Hughes and also won the previous round in Mullingar.

A total of 14 made it through to the jump-off against the clock. Kevin Gallagher and HHS Toronto were pathfinders, they collected four faults which left them out of the line-up.

Second in, Gerard Clarke riding Jockeyhall Midas Touch produced the first double clear in a time of 30.97 to set the pace. Next to go was Darragh Ryan and his first mount in the decider, Lackamore Storm. The pair managed to leave all the fences up but in quite a slow time that slotted them into eventual sixth place.

Susan Fitzpatrick and Keatingstown Z Wellie Two provided the third double clear when they broke the beam at 32.95 which left them in eventual third place. The next two riders in, Edward Doyle (Cruise Mor) and Jack Ryan (MHS Quinton), had one fence down apiece – Doyle in 34.19 and Ryan in 34.39 – which left them out of the top six.

Emma Phelan and Galaxy left all the fences intact, but their time of 36.33 would not be good enough for a place. Pender was eighth to go with his Mullingar winner HHS Fortune. The pair produced a foot-perfect round, breaking the beam in 30.60 to shoot to the top of the class.

Jessica Burke (Castlelawn Captain Junior) and Thomas O’Brien (Zizico) both collected four faults, while Gerard Clarke and Hollystown Miss Lupin ran into trouble at the second last fence where they collected eight faults for a run out and a knock down.

Darragh Ryan and Flexibility had the flow of their round slightly interrupted when they threw a show after the fourth fence, but despite this they left all the fences up and recorded a decent time of 34.34 for fifth place. Last to go were John Floody and Castleroche Rebel. They too provided a steady clear round in a time of 33.78 to slot them into fourth place.

SIX-YEAR-OLD

LAST Sunday was the fifth leg of this season’s Studbook Series which meant that the six-year-old final was decided by a jump-off against the clock for the first time this year. Just five of the 20 starters earned a place in the timed decider.

Tholm Keane and Krafty Kitty opened proceedings with a clear round in 40.63 to set the pace. This would be good enough to slot them into third place in the final line up.

Next in, Vincent Byrne and Pearls Princesss Gervantas had the Irish Horse Board fence down to add four faults to their final tally. Catherine Thornton and Drumiller Sensation provided an impressive clear round as the third pair in. Using her mount’s huge stride to her advantage Thornton steered the Arko mare round the track with a relaxed efficiency, not wasting any time with tight turns, the pair broke the finish beam in 34.52 to secure the victory.

Kevin Gallagher and HHS Fast Forward made a good attempt as the next to go. They too left all the fences up but in a slower time of 36.45 to secure the runner-up spot.

Longfield Quinlui ridden by Derek McConnell had two fences down to see them out of the running. Charlotte Quinn and Ted Talks were the fastest four faulters in round one and they slotted into sixth.

Nine combinations jumped double clear rounds in the five-year-old division to divided the prize money.

They were: Gemma Phelan (Limestone Uno), Catherine Thornton (ABC Caruso), Garth Swaile (Annaghquin Lady Jane), Kellie Allen (Jacarina), Jessica Burke (Orestus Clover), Killian Dunne (Ballyoskill Big Bucks), Thomas O’Brien (Abs Chino), Darragh Ryan (CSF Sir George), and Catherine Thornton (HSC Sunny Jim).

The next and sixth round round of the series takes place at Cork Summer Show today and tomorrow.