IRELAND had three riders in the top six in the two-star 1.45m Grand Prix at Sentower Park in Belgium on Sunday. Wexford’s Bertram Allen took the top spot with Castigo de Amor, a 10-year-old grey stallion by Cascadello, after jumping double clear and finishing the jump-off in 35.04 seconds.

Out of 53 starters, there were 10 combinations who secured a place in the jump-off, three of those being Irish. America’s Michael Hughes and Legolas Ter Wilgen were runners-up in 35.40, just half a second ahead of Mayo’s Michael G Duffy on Casino IN, who stopped the clock in 35.90 seconds. Meath’s Alexander Butler and Eindhoven GH finished in 38.19 seconds to place sixth.

The Irish started as they meant to go on last Wednesday, when Ciaran Dreeling and Canela Fight, a six-year-old grey mare by Canstakko, came third in their one-star Young Horse class, while Caitlin Duffy won the one-star 1.15m Two-Phase Special with Jockeyhall Midas Touch, a 12-year-old grey stallion by Baloubet du Rouet, with Orla Duffy and Obless Van’T Paradijs seventh in the same class.

On Thursday, Emily Turkington and the eight-year-old grey mare Cissi placed eighth in their one-star Young Horse class, while Bertram Allen and Cornet placed eighth in their two-star 1.40m class. Caitlin Duffy and Jockeyhall Midas Touch continued their winning form in another one-star 1.15m Two-Phase Special.

Bertram Allen and Castigo de Amor, a 10-year-old grey stallion, won the two-star 1.45m class, with almost two seconds to spare over runner-up Belgium’s Alexander Housen.

Friday saw Thomas O’Brien place eighth in a two-star 1.35m Two-Phase Special, while Emily Turkington came sixth with Engas Narinja in their two-star 1.30m class and Nicholas Butler rode Ladycastle Paco into sixth place in the two-star 1.45m class.

On Saturday, Orla Duffy and Oblesse Van’T Paradijs came fourth in their one-star 1.25m class and Bertram Allen and Cornet were runners-up in their two-star 1.35m class, with Emily Turkington placing ninth from a large start list of 86. Anna Duff and seven-year-old gelding MC Crosskeys were third and Emily Turkington and Cissi were eighth in their one-star Young Horse class.

Anna Duff was in the placings again in another one-star Young Horse class, this time placing third with the five-year-old gelding TMS Pienaar, while Bertram Allen rode Gary de Cerisy into fifth place in the two-star 1.45m class. Sunday saw Anna Duff and MC Crosskeys take third place again in their one-star Young Horse class.