KILCORIG Leonidas was crowned the Cavan Crystal Hotel five-year-old champion under Luke Campbell after two qualifiers and three rounds of jumping in the final last Sunday.

Owned by Sophie Dunn, the gelding is by Womanizer out of Kilcorig Little Meeka and was bred by Nigel Jackson.

A fourth-place finish in the first qualifier on Wednesday guaranteed them a place in the final which saw a start list of 37 combinations go to post. Just 14 of the starters posted a clear first round to progress to round two. This number was reduced to 10 for the third round jump-off and Campbell was fastest of these, guiding Kilcorig Leonidas to a triple-clear round in a time of 31.71 for the win.

Commenting on the win Campbell said: “We’re delighted. It hasn’t really sunk in, we’re that tired after the whole week in Cavan that we’ve barely had time to reflect on it.

“His owners are delighted also and that’s the main thing. I started riding him at the beginning of the year. He’s by Womanizer and out of a cob, if you can believe it… He was bred by Kilcorig Sporthorses, which is Catherine Jackson. Sophie (Dunn) had competed him a bit as a four-year-old and then she didn’t really have the time with university this year so they gave him to me to produce on.

“When I started to ride him, I told them he would win a five-year-old championship this year; and now he’s won two so he’s had a great year. He qualified for Dublin and was fourth there one day. He won in the Portmore Spring Show and now he’s won here. He is careful and he is quick.”

Well suited

Campbell continued: “To be honest I knew the three rounds would suit him. He’s hardy, he’s by Womanizer and the more rounds you do with him the better. It is a lot of jumping but it suited him. He is easy to ride, he is actually almost pony like with the way he goes. He is keen and you know that if you gallop down to a fence he is going to try his heart out to jump it. There is a lot to be said for that.

“He doesn’t want to knock poles, he is very consistent. He knows his job and he wants to please. He is a little under 16.1hh and is very blood, so he’s not very big at all.

“He’ll have a nice long break now and then Sophie will take the reins up again and compete him a bit. I think I will get him back next year to do some of the six-year-old classes with him, I definitely think he has a lot more winning in him.”

Speaking of the show in general, Campbell added: “We had a great week. Cavan is probably the premier spot in Ireland. We bring a lot of horses down. The four or five days jumping is so good for them; it means if they have a mistake one day you can take them back in the next day and rectify it.

“The show is immaculate. It’s well run with everything on time. I don’t think it could be any better, and that’s not just because we won, it’s everything. When you go there you know it will all be run well and you can stay clean, which is important if you have clients looking at horses! It is a wonderful venue.”

Angela Waras and her own gelding Hallsmill Aga Quix (Aganix Du Seigneur x Quick Star) took second place. They crossed the finish line in 33.13.

Anne Gannon Clancy’s AHG Whiterock Commeilcruise (Comme Il Faut x Guidam) with Francis Connors in the saddle took third place, breaking the beams in 33.32.

Francis Derwin and the winner of the qualifier on Wednesday, MMG Candy Lady (Sligo Candy Boy x Lord Z), were fourth after they had one fence down in a very fast time of 30.91.

Brendan Murphy and Thomas Foley’s Belgian-bred Roger de Mariposa (Vegabond De La Pomme x Air Jordan Z) finished in fifth while Bernard Reynold’s Kathleens Candy Clover (Sligo Candy Boy x Greenroad Tulip) and John Mulligan took sixth place.