GALWAY’s Stephen Moore won the $37,000 Griffis Residential two-star Grand Prix qualifier at the Winter Equestrian Festival last Friday riding Albert K.

Some 78 horse-and-rider combinations started and 16 returned for the jump-off. Clear rounds were harder to come by in the second round and just five managed to keep a clean sheet.

Moore was the best of those aboard Vlock Show Stables LLC’s 13-year-old Albert K. They stopped the clock at 42.04 seconds to finish over a full second ahead of USA’s Rebecca Coney with Con Coleur (0/0 43.58). Kilkenny’s Richie Moloney slotted into fifth place with the slowest of the clears, riding Coco Beach.

“He is an amazing horse, and I just got the ride on him at the beginning of last summer,” said Moore. “He was great all of the summer season and has had a few months off. This is our first week back competing in FEI classes for the winter so to start off with a win feels fantastic.

“There weren’t very many clear at the beginning of the jump-off, so I had some belief we could get it done. He has a huge stride so I knew I could leave out a stride from the first to second fence, and I knew I could get the long six [strides] done. Everywhere else he was just incredibly good to me, and it all worked out.”

In Sunday’s Grand Prix, just one combination – USA’s Chloe Reid and Crossover 4 – produced a clear round to win without. Best of the Irish was Richie Moloney in eighth with Coco Beach, ahead of Athlone’s Francis Derwin in ninth with Scarlett de Sart Z.

Young rider Tom Wachman won three times at national level with Cian O’Connor’s eight-year-old stallion Mangoon. Their good form culminated in victory in Saturday’s 1.45m High Junior Classic jump-off class.