TIPPERARY’s Shane Breen can relax after he added his name to the illustrious list of riders to have won the world famous Al Shira’AA Hickstead Derby last Sunday after he put in a foot-perfect performance to clinch a one-two in the showpiece.

Riding the 16-year-old stallion Can Ya Makan, Shane delivered the sole clear round of the competition on his adopted home ground of Hickstead where he lives with his wife Chloe and their children. Breen and Golden Hawk shared second place with three others, former World Champion Dermott Lennon (Gelvins Touch (ISH), Brazil’s Carlos Eduardo Mota Ribas (Jella Van’t Kathof) and Harriet Biddick and A Touch Imperious (ISH).

Shane is no stranger to success at the All England Jumping Course but this was the one class that had so far eluded him – the Al Shira’aa Derby. Having come close over the years, he was absolutely determined to finally claim the top spot this year.

Speaking after the long-awaited victory, Shane Breen said: “I never normally feel pressure but I was actually getting a bit anxious, because everyone kept saying ‘It’s your year!’ and I’d say, ‘It’s been my year for the last 15 years’.”

The pressure was on, not least as his brother Trevor, based close to the Hickstead showgrounds, won the Derby in 2014 and 2015. Shane joked: “I’ve been saying to people that when I’m 80 I’ll come down with a Zimmerframe and just have one old horse to jump around the Derby with, but I won’t have to do that now, thank God!”

Shane also produced a brilliant round on his ever reliable partner, Golden Hawk, to finish on four faults, giving him a one-two finish in the Derby with his two rides.

“If you’d asked me this morning which horse would have gone better, I couldn’t have told you,” he added. “Golden Hawk has been an amazing horse for me, and I’d have loved for either of them to have won. But it was Can Ya Makan’s day, and again, he’s been an amazing horse for me in my career.

“When I jumped over the last with Can Ya Makan, something inside of me got quite emotional. Thankfully, it was my day today. I live here and walk around that showground every day, so it’s nice to know that I had my moment in that arena.”

Breen was a hot favorite for the Derby as he got the Al Shira’AA Hickstead Derby meeting off to an excellent start, claiming the Hickstead Derby Tankard on the opening day of the show. Six riders jumped clear round the 1.50m track, with Robert Whitaker (Vermento) producing the only other double clear. But Shane produced a perfectly judged jump-off round to shave just 0.06secs off Robert’s time to take the win.

Irish riders feature

It was a good show for the Irish contingent with a series of impressive results. On Wednesday, Sligo’s Richard Howley took the runner-up spot in the 1.35m two phase when he partnered the nine-year-old gelding Victor. Shane Breen also finished in this line-up, taking fourth place with Z7 Regal Don.

Kilkenny’s Peter Moloney took third place with Chained Django in the Hickstead 1.30m Open, while Shane Breen was also in the ribbons on Thursday as he claimed the runner-up place with Z7 Regal Don in the Astore and Sons 1.35m Open Championship. The combination came home with nothing to add in a time of 39.56.

Moloney was back in the ribbons later in the day as he took sixth place in the Stoner Jewellers Vase with Clever Boy Jun, clear in 78.72secs.

Last Saturday, David Simpson narrowly missed out on a win in the Clip My Horse Hickstead Masters. Riding Foundre F, he delivered a clear in 40.92. Taking the win were Guy Williams and Rouge De Ravel who came home in a very fast time of 37.29. Peter Moloney took sixth place when he was fastest of the four-faulters with Clever Bon Jun, in a time of 40.24.

In the British Speed Derby, the best of the Irish was Conor Dunphy and Hanson when they finished with four faults to take sixth place.