MIKEY Pender won the four-star Suzuki Grand Prix at the Andalucía Sunshine Tour in Vejer de la Frontera, Spain, last Sunday.

Riding the Irish Sport Horse gelding HHS Calais – a prolific five-star winner – Pender was amazingly the only clear round over the 1.55m track designed by Venezuelan Leopoldo Palacios on the impressive grass arena. Marion Hughes’ 12-year-old gelding by Cavalier Royale was bred by Ita Brennan, whose name features multiple times on these pages this week.

“I am absolutely delighted to win the Grand Prix here on week six of the Andalucía Sunshine Tour. The event is amazing and I am really satisfied with Calais. She jumped super. We have had an excellent start to what I hope will be another good season. The course was quite difficult today, there was only one clear and I’m absolutely delighted that I didn’t have to run the jump-off. That doesn’t happen very often. But it was incredible and my horse jumped great”, explained Pender who collected €24,400 in prize money.

Jason Foley finished in fourth place with another Irish Sport Horse, Sean Cubitt’s nine-year-old gelding Rockwell RC (Kannan x Guidam) who was bred by Ronan Byrne. The pair has four faults in the first round.

Howley double

Sligo’s Richard Howley rode to two four-star victories at the venue. The first came in Thursday’s 1.50m Big Tour aboard the 14-year-old Mansini LTD. A huge class of 115 starters, it was divided into two sections and Howley posted the fastest time overall in 56.31 seconds. Winner of the second section was Commdt Geoff Curran with the Minister For Defence’s HHS Clinstown (OBOS Quality x Cavalier Royale), bred by Ita Brennan. They posted a time of 59.55 seconds.

Howley then went on to win Friday’s 1.50m, again riding the HK Horses-owned Mansini LTD. They were the best of 18 clears in 74.31 seconds, seeing off the challenge of Jason Foley with Rockwell RC who were just slower in 74.37. Commdt Curran slotted into fourth place with the Myles Somers-bred 13-year-old gelding Glengarra Wood (Capitalist x Cavalier Clover Lad), who delivered a clear in 77.33.

In Thursday’s CSI4* 1.45 Medium Tour, Jonathan Smyth put in a very strong performance with Mulvin Lights Out to take third place from a field of 80 combinations. The National Grand Prix Champions put in a faultless performance in a time of 58.76.

One place behind was Dermott Lennon and Anthem in my Heart, when clear in 59.21. Kevin Gallagher took eighth place with DHF Lift Off when clear in 60.67.

Connaught’s Oisin Dillion slotted into sixth place in the CSI4* 1.40m Medium tour. Riding his father Patrick’s Irish Sport Horse Ballybeg Loui, he delivered a clear in 64.61. Also in the ribbons on Thursday was Grace McHugh who slotted into sixth with Galante Du Coutil in the seven-year-old 1.30m class.

Jonathan Smyth and Mulvin Lui claimed the runner-up spot in Friday’s four-star 1.45m, when they delivered a clear round in 34.08. Jason Foley took sixth place in the Medium 1.40 with Lady Angeles, when clear in 28.10.

Nallon’s success

Mayo’s Ciaran Nallon secured the win in the CSIYH1* eight-year-old class when he partnered Big Blue 3 to a clear in 27.90. Richard Howley also featured in this line-up, taking third with Kolwa, clear in 29.51.

Nallon returned to the winner’s enclosure on Sunday, claiming victory in the 1.45m Small Tour Grand Prix when he delivered the best of five clears against the clock in a time of 40.12 aboard Dave Quigley’s nine-year-old gelding Fifty Shades of Grey.

Further down the line in fifth place was Nicholas Connors and Fornett d’Emeraude who was slowest of the double clears in 48.23. In the CSI4* big tour 1.45m, Kevin Gallagher took third place with Hybernia when they put in a foot-perfect round in a time of 61.90. He added to his haul when he took the runner-up place with Baloys PS in a 1.40m.

Billy Twomey won a hugely competitive 1.45m jump-off class at the venue on Saturday aboard his own and Sue Davies’ 14-year-old mare Lady Lou. From 96 starters, 18 made it through to the jump-off, where Britain’s in-form Matthew Sampson held the lead until, late to go, Twomey set an unbeatable time of 32.51. Sampson finished second with the 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare MGH Candy Girl (Sligo Candy Boy x Cruising).