SUNDAY saw Cork’s Billy Twomey finish in runner-up position in the CSI4* 1.45m class at the four-star show at Canteleu in France, with Ace of Hearts Z. From the start list of 65, there were 11 clear first rounds within the time allowed, with six of those jumping clear again second time out.

Twomey and the eight-year-old stallion Ace of Hearts Z kept all the fences intact in a time of 35.44 seconds, but French rider Francois Xavier Boudant on Com Du Rouet Z just clinched the win with the slightly faster time of 35.04.

Competitions commenced at Canteleu last Friday, with a range of one-star, two-star and four-star classes being held. Saturday saw Twomey placing seventh in the CSI2* 1.40m class on board What Lady Van’T Meerhof, an eight-year-old bay mare.

Jessica Burke followed this up with a fourth place in the CSI4* 1.50m class riding the 13-year-old stallion African Affair, when they stopped the clock in 67.48 seconds. The class of 60 was won by Frenchman Mathieu Billot on Lord of Muze with a super-fast time of 63.38 seconds. Next best was Belgian rider Jos Verlooy on Parise Van Den Dael (66.53) in second, followed by another Belgian, Yves Vanderhasselt on Nikita Van De Koekelberg (66.99).

Burke claimed a fifth place on Sunday in the CSI2* 1.45m class riding a double clear on Good Star Du Bary in a jump-off time of 40.50 seconds in a large class of 70 starters. The class was won by France’s Reynald Angot on Untouchable GIPS HDC in 37.90 seconds.