JORDAN Coyle’s win in Sunday morning’s Speed Championship, sponsored by Lisney, was the victory which sealed the Leading International Rider prize for the Derryman.

Some 25 combinations started over the one round speed which offered a €26,200 prize fund. Just five managed to leave all the fences intact. Coyle was quickest in 58.07 aboard Elan Farm’s Swedish-bred gelding Ariso (Casall x Contender) as the third last pair into the ring.

Swiss rider Martin Fuchs set the pace with the first clear round in under 59 seconds, he stopped the clock aboard Viper Z in 58.66 as 10th to go which would be good enough for third place.

Sandwiched between Coyle and Fuchs in second place was Cian O’Connor riding Coolmore Showjumping’s gelding by Vigo Cece, Donegal. They posted a time of 58.64 as the 18th pair into the ring.

Richard Howley and Mansini (Caressini L x Marramas) slotted into fourth, while Alex Butler and Chilli B took fifth. Last to go, Tipperary’s Shane Breen and Z7 Ipswich finished in sixth as the fastest four faulters.

This win, added to two fifth places on Wednesday aboard For Gold in the Minerva Stakes and Eristov in the Speed Stakes, a seventh place on For Gold in the Dublin Stakes on Saturday plus a second place in the Defender Puissance with Eristov left Coyle on 23 points on the leading rider table and he picked up €6,000 in prize money.

‘Nice’ week

Speaking to The Irish Field after the presentation Coyle said: “I didn’t think I would win leading rider because I just had a nice week. I won the Speed Championships this morning, but apart from that we didn’t win much else. We were second in the Puissance, the rest of the places were fourth and fifth. I would have loved to win the Grand Prix, that’s a new horse to me; he has never done anything like that, I never did much like this. I was one point off the leading rider last year so it is nice to win it.

“We came straight to Dublin and we will go straight back [to USA]. I am based in New York now and the plan now is to follow the Major League a bit more and try and get this horse, For Gold, up and running… I think he is the best horse I’ve ever ridden, if I can iron it out with him.

“My owners Elan Farm have been with me ever since I went to America, they have been very good to me. Now my wife, Kimberly Corts and her parents – Wayne and Carla Corts – bought For Gold.

“The family are all here, it is their first time in Ireland, they have loved it. I was in Derry for 10 days at home before coming down here. I have 107 young horses at home between myself and Daniel.”

On his bad injury before the Dublin Horse Show in 2019, he said: “The doctors tell me I’m very lucky to be alive. The horse tripped, we were cantering along, I fell over his head. As he was getting up, he stepped on me, it was pretty gruesome for a while. There was a lot of stuff internally, stuff I have to live with for the rest of my life but, as the doctors tell me, be happy that’s all you have.”