JONNY Mulligan recorded his first Eventing Ireland win since early April 2021, when landing the EI100 at Hazeldene Farm last Saturday on Britt Megahey’s Dutch Warmblood gelding Nelson.

True, Mulligan is competing far less in EI company these days, while Nelson, a six-year-old by Grand Slam VDL out of the Up To Date mare Irene, had one affiliated outing last August and was appearing for just the second time this season when winning here on his dressage score (29.5).

Alex Houston also finished on her first phase score to place second with the more experienced My Atlantic Encore (30), while four show jumping penalties and 4.8 for time across the country, proved costly for the dressage winners on 26.3, Clare Abbott with Cortynan. Laura Napier finished sixth in this 15-runner class on Burrenhill Jaguar.

Mulligan had a second ride on the day, in EI90 (T), which he won on Sandra Hamilton’s Rathdrum Spirit, the Spirit House gelding he will be riding in the four-year-old young event horse class at the upcoming Dublin Horse Show.

Back to the Graded classes at Hazeldene, where Elaine O’Connor recorded an impressive victory in the 20-strong EI90, completing on her dressage with the Irish Sport Horse mare Tullymurry Masha (27.8 penalties), the eight-year-old Camiro De Haar Z bay, who is owned by her husband David and was bred by her mother Marian Turley.

Michael McGaffin led after dressage on Burrenhill Mus (25.5), but this six-year-old grey gelding, who has no recorded pedigree, had two fences down show jumping and then picked up 3.2 penalties for time across the country, seeing him take his second place on a total of 36.7. Freya Kennedy finished third with Patrick McAvoy’s home-bred Roughan Roulette, a seven-year-old gelding who, on his second start, amassed six cross-country time penalties to finish third (37.3).

There were 31 starters in the EI80,which was won on his flatwork score of 31.3 penalties by Ian McCluggage riding the Gortfree Hero gelding Meadowspring. The seven-year-old, who was having his fifth start, is owned by Lindsay Martin, whose mother Jan bred the winner.