FRIDAY evening’s Cavan Indoor Derby welcomed some 27 starters over the 1.35m-1.40m two-phase Derby-style track, with the second phase against the clock.

The entertaining class sees horse and rider combinations jump out of the main arena and into the warm up, with challenging fences like a double of gates, as well as a very delicate triple combination.

A feature of the Cavan Indoor Championships, it drew an eager crowd as always and, in the end, just three combinations answered all the questions correctly to progress to the timed round, where they were all clear again. Ten riders collected just four faults in round one, which left them out of the running.

Robyn Moran was the first to supply a double clear aboard Vera Griffin’s Cushlas Fryday (Hector Van D’Abdijhoeve x Apache D’Adriers) as seventh to go. They broke the finish beams in 33.24, which would be good enough to earn them second place.

Jim Donohoe and Niamh O’Donnabhain’s Culdearg Clover Lad (Gelvin Clover x Touchdown) produced the second double clear as the 21st to go. They stopped the clock at 35.24, which would see them into eventual third place.

The final clear round came from the 25th starter, Andrew Hodgins riding his own mare Sandra (Lux Z x Sandro Boy).

They recorded a super-fast time of 30.84, which would see them secure the win and the lion’s share of the €4,500 prize fund.