Riding Cameron Hanley’s nine-year-old Toulon gelding Living The Dream, 24-year-old Duffy finished third with a double clear in 39.58 seconds. From an initial startlist of 45 in the 1.60m contest, 13 were clear to progress to the jump-off, but two produced faster rounds than Duffy. Victory and the near €25,000 first prize went to Britain’s John Whitaker on Argento in 38.69, while Dutch rider Gert Jan Bruggink (Primeval Dejavu) was fractionally slower in 38.99.
With four faults in the first round, Bertram Allen finished 18th on Romanov, but the young Co Wexford rider had recorded good results earlier at the show. In the previous 1.45m jump-off, Allen was third on Molly Malone V with a double clear in 30.09, a second off Dutch winner Maikel van der Vleuten (VDL Groep Eureka). Cameron Hanley was eighth here on Caretina De Joter in 32.93.
Hanley and Allen featured in the previous day’s 1.50m jump-off, Hanley steering Antello Z into third place with four faults in 35.23. Swiss rider Theo Muff (Zenita) won as the only double clear in 39.44, while Allen (Molly Malone V) was ninth as the fastest four-faulter in the first round.
In the earlier 1.45m accumulator, Allen was second on Wild Thing L in 40.30, while Hanley was fifth on Newton Du Haut Bois in 42.62. Britain’s Guy Williams won on Casper De Muze in 39.40.
Hanley was second on the same 13-year-old gelding in the previous day’s 1.45m two-phase in 32.18 behind Dutch rider Wesley Heydens (Riadloc Fly Ly) in 31.60. Allen and Romanov were eighth in 35.17.
Allen steered Wild Thing L to finish second in the earlier 1.40m speed class, going clear in 56.21. Dutchman Robert Vos (Carat) won in 55.79, while Hanley was sixth on Caretina De Joter in 63.19.