THE locally based Equine Warehouse sponsored both sectors of the EI 100, the first of which handed a hat-trick of victories to Meabh Bolger and the six-year-old Kelvin Della Caccia. The Co Waterford pair have proved formidable opponents this season, and I’m sure, much to the relief of their contemporaries, they are planning to step up a level next time out.

“Although he’s six, he had never seen a cross-country track until about six weeks ago,” explained Bolger’s husband Brian Flynn. “He’s really taken to it and he loves it, but we conscious that we don’t want to frighten him.” An imported son of Kannan, the gelding impressed Shelley Lombard on the flat to earn a mark of 20.8, and maintaining that, he completed four points in front of Bridget MacAuley with Zena Rising, and Padraig Harrington (Carrigshawn Queen Bee).

Katherine Bennett, together with her husband Jack, are better known in racing circles, through their busy training and sales prep yard at Milltown Stud in Co Limerick. After a break of four years, Katherine returned to eventing last season, and teaming up with Lord Ghyvan, a gelding she sourced at Goresbridge as a four-year-old, she won the second division from the front. Unusually, the top eight all completed on their dressage scores, leaving Caitie Slater (Belline Rock Trend) to fill second, from Sarah Ennis with OnceUponATime. Although several did pick up penalties in the country, they did not trouble the leaders.

By his standards, Michael McNally is having a quiet season, but he pulled out a good result to win the Hoof Prints Innovations EI90 aboard Rainstown Go With The Flow (by Rainstown Lad). In dressage order, he was also third with Mister Morandi, separated by Jonathan Steele and Hanson.