GARY Dooley and his father Declan’s CSF Olympic Jewel won their second 1.35m Spring Grand Prix in a row in Cavan last Sunday.

Following on from their victory in Broadmeadows the previous weekend, 17-year-old Dooley guided the eight-year-old Brian Connolly-bred mare to the top-spot in the 57-rider strong class.

CSF Olympic Jewel’s sire Mylord Carthago, was a finalist at the Lanaken World Young Horse Championship as a four, five, six and seven-year-old. He went on to have a successful international competitive career with France’s Penelope Leprevost, including a team silver at the 2010 WEG in Kentucky, and a team silver medal at the 2011 European Championships in Madrid.

The duo were finalists at the 2004 World Cup in Geneva and competed at the 2012 London Olympic Games. They won several five-star Grand Prix including Helsinki, Vienna, and Paris, and were part of the winning Nations Cup teams at Aachen and Gijon in 2012. In addition they won the Vienna GCT Grand Prix, the Gucci Paris Masters, and the Prix RMC at La Baule.

Her dam Olympic Clover, by Clover Hill, is also the dam of the successful stallion Olympic Cruz (Cruising x Clover Hill).

Strong field

Eighteen of the 57 contenders managed to leave all the fences intact in round one of the Spring Tour on Sunday evening in Cavan to progress to the timed decider over the Stuart Clarke-designed track.

First to go against the clock was young rider Annelies Loose aboard Jean Quigley’s Folly Stuff. By Cornet Obolensky, out of Hot Stuff, by Darco, this eight-year-old mare was bred by Canadian Olympian Eric Lamaze. They produced another clear round in a time of 41.88 to set the pace.

Second in, Junior Emily Moloney and Ian Smyth’s mare Capitol Cruis (Ard VDL Douglas x Cruising) had one fence down for four faults in 42.16.

Next was Catherine Thornton with her own and David Campbell’s Coachella (Ustinov x Cruising), bred by Tom and Linda Magee. They too had one down, but in a faster time of 39.04.

Edward Doyle and his own eight-year-old Belgian-bred gelding Charly Brown Van Overis Z (Canturano Z x Diamant De Semilly) produced the second double clear when they left all the poles in place in a cautious time of 46.76.

Resident rider Camryn Clarke and his mother Victoria’s Conto de Reve (Hermes De Reve x Conto), bred by Noleen Kieran, were fifth to have a go. They too had a double clear, theirs coming in 41.29.

Damien Griffin riding Ennisnag Stud’s homebred eight-year-old ESI Hamshire (Zirocco Blue VDL x Coleman) added their names to the clears, crossing the finish in 40.66 for sixth place.

Emily Moloney and her second mount, her father Eddie’s Temple Alice (Foxglen Cruise Control x Rantis Diamond), provided the next double clear, stopping the clock at 41.29.

Blueoak Legaland (Diamant de Semilly x Clinton), ridden by Abby Morton, owned by Joanne Morton and bred by Joe Reilly, were fault free throughout, their time of 38.45 would be good enough to see them into third place.

Junior Lily Tunney and her father Gabriel’s Flexible Flight (Flex a Bill x Errigal Flight), bred by Bertie Williams, were just slightly slower in 39.76, which put them into fourth place in the final line up.

Niamh O’Connor Barry riding her own Paul Dillon-bred eight-year-old Drumiller Vegas (Cardento x Rockhill Clover) and Vincent Byrne with Ivor Broderick’s Dutch-bred stallion Cornerado VDL (Cornet Obolensky x Indorado) both had double clears but were too slow to feature in the top-six.

Sven Hadley and his own German-bred mare Holmaok Koln crossed the finish in 40.58 which was good enough for fifth place.

Dooley was next to go. Confident in his mare’s ability to turn and speed he pressed CSF Olympic Jewel and she responded well, stopping the clock at 37.19, a time that would not be beaten and earned them yet another win in the Spring Tour Series.

Edward Doyle Jnr and the home-bred Quick Bill (Flex A Bill x Quick Star) were unfortunate to have one fence on the ground for four faults, while winners at the first round in JAG, Annabel Shields and Creevagh Carisma (Camino de Haar Z x Creevagh Duca di Clover), were also disappointed with four to add.

Last to go Derek McConnell riding Sorcha Hennessy’s Inlaws Manolo (Corland x Lord Z), bred by Tomas Hester, gave it their best shot and came closest to catching the leader breaking the finish beams in 37.84 to claim the runner-up spot.

The next round of the TRM Showjumpers Club Spring Tour takes place today, March 2nd, in Wexford.

Katie Nallon and Claire's Delight won the 1.30m two-phase at Cavan \ Laurence Dunne jumpinaction.net

Delightful

Claire’s Delight lived up to her name when she delighted owner Ann Igoe and rider Katie Nallon by taking the win in the afternoon’s other feature class in Cavan, the Harry and Annmarie Fitzpatrick-sponsored 1.30m two-phase.

Bred by Eamon Gleeson, she is by OBOS Quality 004, out of Orchid Hill, by Clover Hill. The duo were third to go in a competitive class which featured 52 combinations. They set the pace when stopping the clock, double clear in a time of 31.08. This time would remain at the top and secure them the victory.

A total of 32 managed to stay clear over both phases, six were clear in round one, but had one fence down in the second, while 10 had a single fence down in the first round.

Second place went to Sven Hadley and Holmaok Koln in 31.73, while third was Geraldine Tyner riding Mary Tyner’s Kippagh Diamond Lance (Lancelot x Glidawn Diamond) in 31.77.

Young rider Hallie Crowe and Riverstown Flamenco Cruise (Je T’Aime Flamenco x Cruising) took fourth in 33.68.

Fifth went to Sandra Devine’s Dutch-bred gelding Laranco ridden by Lucy Shanahan in 36.28, while Cian Harrisson riding Florida Springs (Mermus R x Kings Master) completed the line up in sixth.