SLIGO’S Richard Howley scored a runner-up finish in the three-star 1.50m Grand Prix in Le Touquet, France last weekend.

Riding Consulent de Prelet Z, Howley missed out on the win by the narrowest of margins when second best of the six clears in the jump-off, breaking the beam in 45.05 to secure €10,260 in prize money. Britain’s Holly Smith was just four hundredths of a second faster with Fruselli to lead the victory lap.

Mayo’s Jonathan Gordon also booked a place in the jump-off, but 14 faults in the second round saw him finish in 10th place with Capri.

Irish riders got their campaign off to a good start when they filled two of the top placings in Thursday’s three-star 1.40m. Best of those was West Sussex-based Shane Breen who took fifth place with Can Ya Makan. They put in a foot perfect performance in a time of 73.21. Shane’s brother Trevor Breen was one place behind with Toyger, in 74.14.

Trevor also took third place with Jicala T in the Table A, when he was clear in 71.60. No stranger to success over Derby track’s, Trevor also took the runner-up place in the 1.40m Derby on Saturday. Riding Toyger he was one of two clear rounds in a time of 173.29.

French rider Alexis Deroubaix claimed victory aboard Bornthis Way Chapelle when they came home in 163.70. Shane Breen slotted into fifth place with Can Ya Makan, when he came home with four faults in a time of 171.70, and Richard Howley finished seventh with Medusa Van De Kooldries.

Shane Breen added to his record on Sunday when he took the runner-up place in the 1.45m. Riding Haya, he was one of five double clears in a time of 42.91. Winner of the class was Sienna Charles and Valkiry de Zance, who clocked 42.45.