DARRAGH Kenny led home an Irish one-two in the Sport Ireland Classic on the opening day of the Dublin Horse Show at the RDS on Wednesday.

Kenny’s triumph with his 13-year-old stallion Chic Chic, came at the expense of his countryman Mikey Pender riding HHS Los Angeles (ISH), who finished second. Ahead of USA’s McLain Ward (First Lady). Cian O’Connor finished fourth on Fermoy, just ahead of world number one Henrik Von Eckermann (SWE) and Glamour Girl.

Kenny was following up last week’s four-star victory and subsequent Grand Prix runner-up finish in Deauville, and he celebrated being named for the Irish team competing in Friday’s Aga Khan Cup by claiming top prize in the 1.60m speed class.

Kenny and Chic Chic went clear in a time of 69.17 seconds to become the ninth home rider to prevail in the last 10 renewals of the Sport Ireland Classic. The winning time was marginally ahead of Kildare pilot Mikey Pender and the Kilkenny-bred HHS Los Angeles (ISH), who stopped the clock on 70.20.

“That’s a good start to the week,” said a grinning Kenny. “It’s always nice to be home here in Dublin. It’s a brilliant show and to win is always great.

“He’s a super horse. He’s been unbelievably consistent all summer. The last five shows he’s been at, he won a ranking class at every one of them except one, which he was second at. He’s been on-form all summer.

“I brought him here for this class and he feels great and he jumped super, so I was really happy it all worked out.

“For a little horse he’s got a really big stride and he really tries, so you can go at the jumps. You needn’t worry too much about him knocking them down. He doesn’t often knock them down.”

Glory for Derwin

Wednesday started with European Championship young rider team gold and individual silver medallist, Francis Derwin, also recording five-star glory in the first international class of the show and spearheading an Irish one-two-three in the Main Arena. The Athlone athlete was victorious in the five-star speed class, beating off the challenges of Niamh McEvoy and Daniel Coyle.

Derwin has enjoyed a lot of domestic success with Parvati AEG this year, but they took it to another level by seeing off a strong global challenge of 43 combinations for the five-star 1.45m test.

While almost half of the field went clear (21), none were as rapid as Derwin and his nine-year-old chesnut mare, who registered a time of 52.51.

That was almost a second clear of Tyrone pilot McEvoy, who rode Templepatrick Welcome Limmerick (ISH).

Coyle was another second back on Lena VDL, to complete the green-hued podium.

In the afternoon’s five-star speed class, the Minerva Stakes by LHK Insurance, Cian O’Connor went on to bag a podium finish when claiming third on Fox Chapel.

A total of 39 combinations had a tilt at the afternoon 1.45m speed class, with victory going to Belgium’s Emilie Conter and Ocean Quality, with Julien Gonin (FRA) and Estrella de la Batia in second.

Mikey Pender also made it into the top five in fifth on Irish Sport Horse HHS Cornetta, who was bred in Kilkenny by Marion Hughes.