FRANCIS Derwin Jnr now leads the Gain Alltech National Grand Prix league by some 24 points, having added his fifth win of the 2024 season at the Flavours of Fingal show last Saturday, bringing his tally up to 51 points.

Riding the Belgian-bred nine-year-old mare Parvati AEG (Arezzo VDL x Darco) Derwin headed proceedings in the 12th of the 22-round league.

Frano has been riding the mare since she was five, when his father, Francis Snr, bought her from Bob Sweeney. “It’s a great show, there’s plenty going on around it,” Derwin Jnr commented.

“There was a lot of rain on Saturday morning and that influenced my decision not to run my other horse Destina Du Mesnil Z; she’s still fairly new to us, so we thought we’d just go with Parvati and try to add another few league points.

“The footing in the arena held up really well for the amount of rain they got. Tom Holden built a very good course. It took a bit of jumping. The arena is on a bit of a hill, which adds to the challenge.

“It was quite a small startlist here. I’m not really sure why. Possibly not everyone likes to compete on the grass, but I love it. I think it’s brilliant, but a lot of people seem to prefer to stick to the sand. These are classes that I think should definitely get more support. They are great for setting you up with the young horses to get them ready to go on and jump in the bigger classes. Looking forward, I’m going to Maryville this weekend for the National and Premier Grand Prix.”

Big prize fund

Just 15 combinations lined out for the Joe Duffy-sponsored class, which offered a €5,000 prize fund. Seven riders managed to guide their mounts to a first round clear to progress to the timed jump-off.

Cathal Daniels was pathfinder aboard his own Cappog Tomy (Camiro De Haar Z x S Creevagh Ferro Ex Siebe), bred by Tommy Reilly. They had one fence down for four faults, which left them in seventh place as the fastest four-faulter.

Katie McEntee and Kinmar Bespoke were second to go. They have been knocking on the door for a while now, with a fifth place in Ballivor and a third in The Meadows. They left all the fences intact, stopping the clock at 41.89 for the eventual runner-up spot.

Nicholas Butler and the Ladycastle Syndicate’s home-bred gelding Ladycastle Paco (Pacino x Nabab de Reve) posted a second clear in 42.67, which slotted them into third place.

Derwin was next to go and a second clear, slicing over two and a half seconds off the leading time, shot them into first place.

Damien Griffin riding the Ennisnag Stud-owned and bred eight-year-old gelding ESI Hampshire (Zirocco Blue VDL x Coleman) was next. They too left all the poles in place, crossing the finish in 44.78 for fourth place.

The penultimate pair in, Aoife McCabe and her own Heritage Enigma (Eldorado van de Zeshoek x Canturo), bred by Anne-Marie O’Gorman, also managed a double clear in 45.21 for fifth place.

Last in was Drumiller Vegas (Cardento x Rockhill Clover), owned and ridden by Niamh O’Connor Barry and bred by Paul Dillon. A second fault-free round in 45.48 left them in sixth place.

Wood Rockets to win

BP Rocket Man was the star of Sunday’s feature class at the Flavours of Fingal show, proving best in the 12-way jump-off in the Mervue Leinster 1.35m, sponsored by Roganstown Hotel.

At just seven years old, the Ballypatrick-bred gelding looked more than comfortable as he stepped up to 1.35m with Harry Wood in the saddle. Owned by Richard Kirby, he is by Stakkato Gold, out of BP Quidy (Quidam Junior).

Harry Wood and the first of his three horses in the decider, GBBS Ltd’s Pembrook Corbetts Lane (Kannan x Guidam), bred by Kilmashogue Stud, provided the first double clear, stopping the clock at 42.24 for eventual third place.

Comdt Geoff Curran and the Minister For Defence’s Derrycush (Emerald Van’t Ruytershof x Aldato), bred by Alfie Hillen, then captured the lead with a double clear in 42 seconds.

Wood and his second mount, Keith Ennis’ Belgian-bred Olympic ‘GL’ ‘FVD’ (Galisco Van Paemel x Bengale), matched the clear but in a slower 51.59 for sixth place.

Lt Michaeli Byrne and the Minister For Defence’s MSH Claregalway (Cornet Obolensky x Acobat II), bred by Niall and John Mullins, left all the poles in place in 43.26 for fourth place. Edward Widger’s OKE Lulu Star (Luidam x Germus R), bred by Martina McCrory and ridden by Edward Doyle Jnr, broke the beams in 48.40 for fifth place.

Declan McEvoy and his own BLM Cosmopolitan Dandy (Kannan x Master Imp) were double clear, but in a cautious 54.76 to finish seventh.

Wood was last to go with BP Rocket Man. A clear in 40.95 saw them capture the victory and the lion’s share of the €2,000 on offer.

Due to space constraints, see page 105 for the remaining report on the Mervue Equine Leinster Tours.