NATIONAL Balmoral pulled out all the stops last weekend to host two of the richest Grands Prix in the country. Sunday’s feature was the £25,000 Wilsons Auctions-sponsored Plusvital Premier Series, which also had the added excitement of determining the two riders who got through to the five-star classes at next month’s Dublin Horse Show.

Victory stayed north as Monaghan’s Clem McMahon delivered the winning round aboard Clonterm Obolensky when he was the fastest of four double clears in a time of 43.03 to pick up £7,500 in prize money. Owned by Oliver Glancy Jnr and bred by Brian Duff, the eight-year-old gelding is by Cornet Obolensky and is out of She Has the Lux (Lux Z).

In 2023, the gelding was campaigned in the age classes with much success by his owner. McMahon began riding the horse in May and qualified for the RDS at The Meadows after finishing in third place.

Different league

Delighted with the win, McMahon said: “This win means a lot for the owners, the Glancy family in Longford. They found this horse as a four-year-old and Oliver produced him until he was seven and I was lucky enough to take him over this year.

"He is without doubt one of the best horses that I have sat on, he is a different league, I think. He has all the attributes of a top class horse. He is scopey, careful, rideable, clever, he is just a joy to ride.”

Regarding the course and the facilities at Balmoral, McMahon added: “It was a big test and I would compare it to a three-star international Grand Prix. The French course designer [Yann Royant] tested carefulness and the scope of all the horses; for £25,000 you expect this. One of the big pluses here at this show is the ground and the facilities. Horses bounce off this ground. It’s a pity we only jump here twice in the year, it’s one of the best venues in Europe. I have to say the committee went to a lot of work and expense to put this show on and the riders are very grateful. They were rewarded with high entries. It’s the best show in the country.”

At stake

In total, 39 combinations contested this round and it was all to play for as it would decide which two combinations would be invited by the organising Committee to compete at the Dublin Horse Show.

Fresh from his National Grand Prix win on Friday, Jack Ryan took the runner-up spot with Ehllo D Argouges. Fourth to go against the clock, Ryan made up time from one to two, taking it in 10 strides. He then got a good shot to the Plusvital oxer and back to the Olympic vertical and picked up a good pace to the last to come home clear in 44.95. A 10-year-old gelding by Canturo, Ehllo D Argouges is owned by Northlawn Farm.

Second to go against the clock, Junior rider Katie McEntee made up the pace with Kinmar Bespoke to the Plusvital oxer and then negotiated a tight turn back to the Olympic vertical. A good turn to the double, matched with a strong pace to the last saw her come home clear in a time of 45.30 for third place.

Owned and bred by Gerry Marron, the nine-year-old gelding is by O-Piloth and is out of the Aganix Du Seigneur-sired Absolutely Kingmar Z, who is currently competing with Alex Finney.

It has been a good month for Kinmar Bespoke, who claimed third place in the Gain Alltech Grand Prix at the HHS Annual Charity Show, second in the round at Flavours of Fingal and fifth in Balmoral.

Chasing down his place in Dublin, Nicholas Connors had the difficult task of going first with Fornett D’Emeraude and he played it safe to the Olympic vertical and set the bar high, with a clear in 48.10 for eventual fourth, which would be good enough to get his golden ticket to jump in the five-star classes. Owned by Ann Connors, the French-bred eight-year-old gelding is by Cornet Obolensky out of the L’Arc de Triomphe-sired dam Tapass.

Dermott Lennon put in a very fast round with Bronte Stables’ Millview Cicero, but his hopes of a win were dashed as he knocked the first and came home in 44.09 for fifth. Bred by Harry Marshall, the 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding is by Cicero z van Paemal and is out of the Oklund mare Royal Dutch.

American Nations Cup rider Catherine Pasmore, who is based at Cian O’Connor’s Karlswood Stables, and her own Freedom De S.B proved out of luck when they had the Olympic vertical down, but their time of 46.39 saw them take sixth place.

Dublin places

Fresh from winning a gold medal at the FEI Young Rider European championships in Kronenberg two days earlier, Niamh McEvoy gave up her individual 10th place and overcame travel difficulties to get home to jump in Balmoral. She went into the competition in pole position with Templepatrick Welcome Limmerick on 14 points and just two points behind was Patrick Hickey (Casago II) and Nicholas Connors on Fornett D’Emeraude.

Although McEvoy failed to finish in the top 10 when picking up 12 faults, her points were enough to secure her place. A fourth place finish for Connors and Fornett D’Emeraude added six points to his leaderboard standings, which not only secured his place at Dublin but also puts him top of the leaderboard, with just the final remaining in Tattersalls this weekend.