AUSTRALIAN Jake Hunter won Sunday’s feature class, the 1.45m International Grand Prix at Millstreet’s two-star show at Green Glens.

Riding his new mount, Carl Hanley’s 13-year-old German-bred gelding Chappo Chey (Carell x Cornet Obolensky), Ballina-based Hunter proved best of the 42 starters, posting a superb double clear round in a time of 52.97 seconds to earn the lion’s share of the €25,500 prize fund in the Noel C. Duggan Engineering-sponsored class.

This class was run under slightly different rules than a regular National Grand Prix. In this instance each combination was placed according to aggregate penalties over both the first and second rounds and the time incurred over the second round.

Hunter and second-placed Lt James Whyte, riding the Minister for Defence’s Hawthorn Hill (Cardento x Limmerick), produced the only two double-clear rounds of the competition. Hunter’s coming almost four seconds faster than Whyte’s who broke the finish beams in 56.59 for the runner-up spot.

Home from home

Having previously spent five years working for Vinnie Duffy in Ballina, Co Mayo, Hunter (26) then rode for Alan and Dani G. Waldman in Holland for two years before moving to Alex Duffy and Jonna Ekberg’s stable in Belgium for a year. He made his senior Nations Cup debut for Australia in Drammen last year where he was double clear with Global Jativia.

“I was at home in Australia for two months at the start of the year; I hadn’t been home for four years before that. Vinnie rang me when I was home and asked if I would come back for a few months, that was in March and I am here since. I like Ireland, I love the Irish people and the culture here and, being so far away from Austraila, Ireland is like a second home,” Hunter told The Irish Field.

“The lads – Alex, Michael and Martin – are like brothers to me and Vinnie is like a father, and the same goes for Sandra who is like a mother, and the girls, Samantha and Audrey. After being away from home for eight years, you appreciate the smaller things.”

Nice surprise

The 13-year-old gelding Chappo Chey was ridden up to five-star level by Michael G before arriving in Ballina. “I am really happy to have him,” Hunter said, explaining: “He landed in a stable one day at Vinnie’s, it was a nice surprise to see him there! He is in great form, he is jumping as good as ever and I am very grateful to Carl Hanley and Michael for giving me the chance to ride him.”

Speaking about his round, he said: “I was quietly confident going in, it is nice going into jump a class like that knowing you have a very good horse under you. It was a difficult track with only two double clear rounds but he is very experienced and made my life easy. I knew the second round was mine to lose so I just had to ride well and thankfully it worked out.

“It is always nice to win a good class, and especially in Millstreet where I have a lot of fond memories.”

Jason Foley and Tara Coffey’s Cnoc Rua Chinook (Pacino x Ramiro B) took third place. They collected four faults in the first round, but came back with a fault-free performance in round two in the fastest time of the day (47.17).

Quebello D (Quidam de Revel x Cento) was guided into fourth place by Adam Carey. The duo had one fence down in round one but came back with a clear in round two, stopping the clock at 48.24.

Daren Hopkins and Leo Carey’s Numero Cruise (Numero Uno x Cruising) were fifth. They were clear in round one but added four faults in the second in 54.43.

Sixth place went to Cambridge (Cloney x Stakkato), ridden by former Irish chef d’equipe Robert Splaine. They too posted a clear first round but added four in the second to finish in a time of 56.33.