THERE may only have been four runners in the EI110 (O) at Tattersalls’ one-day Eventing Ireland fixture last Sunday, but Elizabeth Power could do no more than post a convincing win aboard Ella Boyle’s Samiro Cruze MC.

The pair picked up 2.8 time penalties on their way to victory, but still headed Jenny Kuehnle (CDS Romolu) by nearly 20 marks. A former British Novice championship runner-up under Oliver Townend, the ride on the Ramiro B-sired nine-year-old passed from his owner to Power earlier in the spring.

Now bound for the CCI3*-S in Lisgarvan, the gelding has enjoyed some good international runs in England this season and, while the duo are on an upward curve, he is currently on the market. “We’re getting there, although it’s not happened overnight,” remarked the rider. “I hadn’t realised the time was tight, so I was surprised to pick up a few penalties, as I would have thought he would make the novice time all day long.”

Classy

The restricted class also saw very few return home within the time, but the clock was no problem for Sam Watson aboard his classy thoroughbred Nominator.

A winner at Hillcrest two weeks earlier, the seven-year-old son of Jukebox Jury produced a competitive dressage mark of 33.8 and, with marks clustered tightly, the top spot was on offer to all. Ultimately, Nominator was the only runner of the 15 starters to complete on his opening score, prompting Watson to comment: “He continues to impress us all.

“He’s always given an amazing feel and, within two weeks of coming out of training, he was capable of cantering a 20-metre circle. With a thoroughbred, the jump can always be the question, but he’s so adjustable and polite, and certainly feels like a sport horse now. I’m supposed to be selling him, but maybe I’ll have to get brave and syndicate him and have some fun with him – he puts a big smile on my face.”

Traditionally-bred

In second place, Jane Fitzgerald will have been rightly pleased with Ballymurphy Hughie, a traditionally-bred seven-year-old by Pointilliste.

Having only stepped up to the level at Loughanmore the previous weekend, and been placed runner-up in the Grassroots championships last month, the James Doyle-bred gelding picked up four penalties over the coloured poles but, fast and clear in the country, headed Abby Coakley with Toome Carrick Jimmy.

Sarah Gould, who led the dressage and jumping with Cornish Cadenza, was unlucky to incur the sole cross-country penalty.