Murphy takes the spoils with RHS Blue

Seven- and eight-year-old HSI Autumn Development Series

IT was a good day for Brendan Murphy as he took the win at Barnadown in the seven- and eight-year-olds with RHS Blue when he kept all the poles in place in 37.01 seconds.

Owned by John Hoyne and bred by Deirdre McGuckian, the eight-year-old mare is by Cheers Cassini out of the Cruising Mickey Finn-sired Tullibards Ask Benny.

Waterford’s Gemma Phelan was closest to catching Murphy when she came home clear aboard the eight-year-old ABC Ballycruise in 37.74. Owned by Victoria Foster and bred by Patrick Kehoe, the gelding is by Cruising out of the Diamond Lad-sired Arctic Diamond.

Eddie Moloney accounted for the next two placings in the line-up. He recorded his best result with Peter O’Toole’s eight-year-old Ardkyle in 39.24 for third place. Bred by Etter Sportpferdeag, this gelding is by Aganix Du Seigneur out of the O-Piloth-sired Abercrombie B. This is the second good result for this pair having won the 1.30m at Killossery the previous week.

Riding Niall Greene’s seven-year-old, Damma Kannan Supreme, he delivered another clear in 40.56 for eventual fourth place. Bred by Greene, the gelding is by Kannan out of the Camiro De Haar Z-sired Tonagh Trip The Lights. The dam had a very successful career up to Grand Prix level and was campaigned by Mary McShane, John Green and Eddie Moloney.

Fifth place belonged to Francis Connors when he partnered the Hugh Fitzpatrick-owned and -bred Erne Riverrun to a clear in 40.94. The gelding is by Antaeus and out of Erne Clover Z.

Gemma Phelan returned to the line-up as she took sixth place with her own seven-year-old Beechfields Billy Barnwell, clear in 41.20. Bred by Donal Barnwell, this gelding is by Billy Mexico out of the Vechta-sired Billy Rock.

Five-year-old HSI Autumn Development Series

The five-year-old division saw 29 combinations go to post in the €4,000 class and from those, 15 delivered double clears to divide the prize fund. (see www.sji.ie).

The next round of the series will take place in Tipperary Equestrian Centre next Saturday, November 13th.