JUNIOR riders once again came to the fore in the 1.30m on Saturday evening. Stephen Gibbons guided his mother Jane’s 10-year-old mare Clooncalagy Beauty (OBOS Quality 004 x Lux Z) to the top spot when they stopped the clock in a very fast time of 26.88 seconds.

Fellow junior Sean Dooley and Indie Girl (Ballintogher Leo x Quabri De Laleu) came closest to catching the leader with the clear round in 27.29 to finish in second place.

A total of 41 combinations lined out for the class and of these 16 produced a double-clear round. Ballinamurra Ergon, owned by Regula Wassmer and ridden by Megan McGettigan, took third place when they recorded a time of 29.36.

Pamela Posnett’s Belgian-bred Maxim Van Overis Z with Suzanne Posnett in the saddle took fourth place in 29.92. The eight-year-old Crownboy Ultra Z (Crown Z x Ulrillo Van De Heffinick), owned and ridden by young rider Zoe Mehigan slotted into fifth, while another owner/rider Darryl Walker, with his seven-year-old mare MHS Elastic (OBOS Quality 004 x Cavalier Royale), finished sixth.

Suzanne Posnett and Maxim Van Overis Z improved on their performance the following day when they proved best of the 68-strong field to take the win in Sunday’s 1.30m.

Some 50% of the starters managed to keep a clean sheet in round one meaning that 34 had to battle it out against the clock. Posnett recorded a time of 25.12 to take first place. David Cullen was the runner-up, riding his own seven-year-old mare J’Adore (Zavall VDL x Boreas), clear in 25.28.

Future Storm (Future Trend x Cruising) and junior rider Ciara Fives took third when they broke the finish beams in 25.41, while Sean Dooley and Indie Girl were fourth in 25.52.

Jim O’Neill’s Castlefield Cass (Cassidee x Puissance), ridden by Jackilynn Breslin, slotted into fifth, while sixth went to Aoibhin Phelan’s seven-year-old Castle Lux Clover (Boherdeal Clover - Lux Z) ridden by Sean Kavanagh.