COMMANDANT Geoff Curran had an incredible few days in Mullingar last weekend winning both the 1.40m National Grand Prix and the final of the 1.50m Premier Grand Prix Series.

Curran partnered the Minister For Defence’s Glengarra Wood (Capitalist x Cavalier Clover Lad) to claim the Premier Series win, and rode Derrycush (Emerald Van’t Ruytershof x Aldato) in the Gain/Alltech National Grand Prix sponsored by Plusvital.

This is the second time the army man and Glengarra Wood have won the Premier Series final having taken the title in Portmore, Co Down, in 2020.

“I’m absolutely delighted with the horses. We’re going into Dublin full of confidence; we’ve a different team of horses going but still a couple of wins like that can inspire the team, so it’s great.

“We bought Glengarra Wood as a four-year-old so we have him nine years now, I’ve been riding him for the past four or five years, he’s probably considered a senior citizen in the string at the moment, but when he’s in good form and he’s fresh he puts in a really good performance.

“He loves the big open ring in Mullingar and the Fagan family, as usual, had the place perfect. He deserved to win, he was excellent, he jumped so well.

“Even though there were only two double clears, Frano (Francis Derwin) ran me very, very close. His horse jumped a little greener against the clock and there was one particular turn, and if his horse had been just a little more experienced I’d say he would have beaten me; but I’ve taken my win quite happily.

“I was going in and there was no double clear, Glengarra is naturally a very fast horse so I just kept it as smooth as possible, we went as tight as possible in the turns but the main thing was to come out clear.

“Everything came up nicely on a forward distance for me and I left out one after the double, Glengarra is a big rangy horse, he has a big stride and Frano’s horse was unable to do that so that probably won it for me at the end of the day.

“Unfortunately he is not one of the ones we are taking to Dublin, which is such a pity because he is in great form, and he would love the main ring jumping off the grass, but I didn’t do enough to qualify this year so he’ll have a semi easy week this week and then he’ll go to Millstreet.

“I have DHF Alliance in the seven and eight-year-olds, I have Bishops Quarter for the Puissance (winner of HOYS in 2022 where the pair cleared 7ft 2in) and a lovely five-year-old named LMK Cassco (Cassalco x Arkansas) who was bred by Liam McKee.

“Frano is a superstar in the making. He said to me on the way back ‘I still haven’t won one (a Premier Series Grand Prix) but there are plenty of big wins in his future, that’s for sure.

“The young rider talent we have in this country at the moment is unbelievable; I don’t think we have ever had it so good and so healthy. Their successes lately are incredible. Even the top pony riders are very well trained, and that will make the transition into horses so much easier.”

Some 40 combinations lined out for the Showjumping Ireland Premier Series Final which offered a prize purse of €15,000.

Just eight produced a first round clear to progress to the jump-off. Comdt. Curran proved best of these double clear in 42.18 for the win.

Hot on his heels was Derwin aboard his Maryville National Grand Prix winning mount Flexi K (Flex A Bill x Luidam) bred by Knightfield Stud. They were just slightly slower in 42.57 for second place.

Derwin also took third place on his other mount, the HHS 1.45m Grand Prix winner AHG Whiterock Cruise Down (Cruisings Micky Finn x Touchdown) as the fastest four-faulter.

Fourth was Noletta Smyth and Roy Craig’s Mulvin Lui (Luidam x Baron De Chantepie) with Jonathan Smyth in the saddle and the pair took the overall league title and were crowned national champions.

Madeline Roberts Allen and Celah Sue De Rialfo Z took fifth ahead of Jake Hunter and Incredible in sixth.