USA’s McLain Ward enjoyed a Dublin Horse Show to remember last week, when winning his very first Aga Khan trophy with Team USA on Friday before going on to take victory in Saturday’s 1.50m Dublin Stakes, proving best of the 40 starters.

Just seven combinations answered all the questions posed in the first round by course designer Alan Wade to progress to the jump-off.

Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs was first to go in the decider with L&L Upgrade. They set the pace with a second clear in a time of 37.84, which would be good enough for fourth place.

Second in, Mikey Pender and HHS Cornetta also posted a double clear and, thanks to a superb gallop to the final fence, they stopped the clock at 36.08, which would leave them in eventual second place.

Young rider Francis Derwin Jnr was next in with Flexi K, a gelding by Flex A Bill bred by Knightfield Stud, on whom he won the individual silver medal at the FEI Young Rider European Championships the previous month. They were unlucky to have the second part of the double down for four faults in 36.68 for fifth place.

Ward was fourth in. He guided Contagious to an impressive clear in a fast time of 35.39 for the top-spot. Sweden’s Petronella Andersson, riding the Stephex Stables-owned Castres van de Begijnakker Z, had the penultimate fence down in 37.64 for sixth place.

Italian Giulia Martinengo Marquet and Scuderia 1918 Calle Deluxe provided the next double clear, theirs coming in 36.81 for third place. Ireland’s David Simpson and Ovidius Vd Donkhoeve (VDL Zirocco Blue x Chin Chin) were last to go. They too fell foul of the second part of the double for four faults in 39.60 to finish in seventh place.