Swail delivers at Spruce

Meadows

CONOR Swail got in on the five-star act at Spruce Meadows last weekend. The Down native and his 13-year-old gelding Gamble beat off 95 competitors in the 1.45m speed class, galloping around the pristine All Canada Ring clear and in a time of 64.28 seconds.

Swail and Gamble were just the 26th combination into the arena, so they had a long time to sweat, but such was the calibre of their round that none of the high-class combatants following could improve upon it. McKayla Langmeier (USA) did get close, falling just short of besting Swail’s time as Chadina clocked 64.49, to be second.

Rankin fifth in Luxembourg Grand Prix

JENNY Rankin finished best of the Irish in Sunday’s three-star Grand Prix at the Longines EEF Nations Cup fixture in Roeser, Luxembourg. Riding the 11-year-old gelding Ibiza, Rankin finished fifth with a smooth double clear performance. Victory went to Spain’s Sergio Alvarez Moya with Puma HS.