CAPTAIN Geoff Curran captured his second TRM/Horseware New Heights Grand Prix win this season at the final leg of the series in Barnadown last Saturday.
Partnering the Minister for Defence’s 13-year-old gelding Dollanstown (Ard VDL Douglas x Cavalier Royale), the pair produced the only double clear of the competition to secure the victory.
Jenny Rankin and Deirdre Bourns’ 11-year-old mare Baccarat (Coltaire Z x Precioso) were the fastest four faulters in a time of 42.53 to finish as runners-up, while Greg Broderick and Molly Tracy’s Dutch-bred 10-year-old gelding Chinook II slotted into third place with one fence down in 42.57.
Twenty eight started over Tom Holden’s track and five of those jumped clear. With the top 25% to come back for the jump-off, the clears were joined by three fastest four fault rounds, and with Vincent Byrne withdrawing, just seven came back.
Alexander Butler slotted into fourth place with James Egan’s eight-year-old gelding Eldorado after a clear jump-off in 48 seconds. Edward Doyle was fifth with Derryinver Luxury Crusie (0/4 44.70), ahead of Broderick and Charmeur (0/8 44.21) in sixth.
Speaking after the win, Curran said: “We are delighted with the win. It was a biggish track, but it was the series final and the ground was good so it deserved to be challenging.
“There were five clear in the first round and I was never going to be the fastest, in fact I think all of the other four were faster than me in the jump-off but I was lucky he (Dollanstown) jumped well and we managed to take the win.
“I think the New Heights Series has been a good addition to the calendar. I went to just four of the rounds, Cork, Tattersalls, Balmoral and Barnadown and I found the conditions and courses at all four to be impressive.”
Captain Curran also competes two event horses for the Equitation School and they will be his main focus this weekend when he takes part in the National Championships in Tattersalls. Following that he heads to Ballindenisk for the final event of the year.
The last time Curran competed in Tattersalls was in July and he won both the National and New Heights Grand Prix at the venue, so it has proved to be a happy hunting ground for the Waterford native.
“So far I’ve always had good results in Tattersalls. I won my first class as an army rider there in 2002 and have been lucky to collect another few prizes there over the years so hopefully I can keep that going this weekend.
“I’ve Ballindenisk next and that wraps it up for the event horses and brings me up to the end of September. The plan after that is to head off to some two and three-star show with the jumpers. We haven’t decided exactly where we are going, or finalised which of the horses we will bring, but I know Dollanstown will defiantly be on the truck.”
NATIONAL CHAMPION
This was the 10th and final round of the TRM/Horseware New Heights Champions Series and third-placed Greg Broderick was named Series winner and crowned Irish National Show Jumping Champion for 2017 on a score of 48 points.
Wins with Chinook II in Ballinasloe, Cork and Balmoral, as well as second place in Omagh and three additional minor placings gave Broderick a massive 18-point lead. His closest rival, Nicholas Butler and Vimminka, finished on 30. Broderick also finished third on the leaderboard with his second mount Charmeur, with who he won the opening leg in Louth with.
Chinook II is by Verdi out of a Little Rock mare, Unavanta. He is owned by Molly Tracy and was bred by Hans Smolders.
A recent addition to Broderick’s string, Chinook II joined the Ballypatrick team last April. He placed in a 1.60m class at the Bolesworth international and, more recently, finished in third place in the Anglesea Stakes at the Dublin Horse Show in August.
“We bought Chinook from Anthony Condon for a student of mine, Veronica Tracy, to ride. When he arrived I did a few shows with him and we struck up a really good partenership.
“He is maybe a bit more than we thought he’d be. I knew he was talented but maybe only discovered his full potential after riding him for a while.
“I’m delighted to have been named National Champion. I felt the New Heights league provided the opportunity for riders to get some good 1.50m experience at home and the competitions in the run up to Dublin helped prepare up and coming horses for a five-star show.
“I think it’s important to keep the New Heights classes up to a 1.50m standard, the courses should be kept to a decent standard, the prize money on offer is good and the standard of the class needs to be maintained.”
Broderick added: “The plan with Chinook is that he will have a rest now and I plan to have him back and ready to compete in some shows abroad in October.”
Horse Sport Ireland CEO Ronan Murphy, along with sponsors TRM and Horseware, presented the former Olympian with a cheque for €2,000, as well as presenting additional prizes to the breeders of the three highest placed Irish-bred horses.
Hugh Fitzpatrick, breeder of Francis Connor’s mount Erne Ladygoldilocks took the top prize of €3,000, with Ray O’Reilly, breeder of Clem McMahon’s Hilton CMS Paparazzi collecting €2,000, and RP Kelly, breeder of McMahon’s other mount Aldaluck taking home €1,000.