ROBERT Blanchette fared best of the Irish in the 73-strong $62,500 Grand Prix qualifier at week two of the Spring Series at Wellington International in Florida on Friday.

Four Irish riders were among the top 12 who had proceeded to the jump-off. Blanchette on Chardonnay were best of these, when they placed third with a double clear in 45.76 seconds – just a second behind the class winner Kent Farrington (USA) on Myla (44.76), who was followed by Marilyn Little on La Contessa in second (45.45).

Cork’s Shane Sweetnam placed fourth on board Coriaan Van Kalpscheut Z with a single time penalty in round one and a clear second round in 46.13. Down’s Conor Swail finished eighth on My Lady Lavista, while Limerick’s Paul O’Shea finished in joint ninth after making it into the jump-off, but then withdrawing.

Placings

In Thursday’s 50-strong 1.35m Open Jumper class, O’Shea on Valantus placed third when double clear in a jump-off time of 31.24, while Shane Sweetnam rode Cervantes into seventh place (31.96). McLain Ward (USA) on Laurina won the class in a time of 29.94.

There were two top 10 placings for Swail in the $32,000 1.45m class, when jumping double clear with both his mounts, finishing seventh with My Lady Lavista (34.37) and 10th with One Edition (36.86).

The day’s $1,000 1.40m class saw Jenny Rankin place fifth on board Big Beauty Z (40.46) and joint sixth on Ibiza (40.91), shared with Swail and One Edition, also clocking 40.91.

Friday’s 1.35m Open Jumper class saw David Blake finish seventh on board Renkum Oriana when clear in 74.10. The day’s $10,000 1.40m Open Stake class saw a strong Irish representation, with Blanchette finishing second on Carnlea Premier Balou (64.56), just a fraction behind class winner Luis Pedro Biraben (ARG) on Georgina De Carles (64.3). Philip McGuane placed fourth on My Lady Van De Krekel (65.02), while Sweetnam placed eighth on Cervantes (67.68).

On Saturday, Daniel Geaney rode Vogue TW into sixth place in the 42-strong $5,000 1.35m Open Stake class. Geaney was among just seven who jumped clear to get through to the jump-off, but then incurred four faults second time out.

Top 10

The day’s 71-starter $32,000 1.45m Classic saw four Irish in the top 10. O’Shea took both fourth and fifth placings with Hellcat (63.89) and Primo CBI Cornet (64.78) respectively, while Rankin on Quatinka placed seventh (65.1) and Jonathan Corrigan on Nadal VD Wateringhoeve placed 10th (67.02).

Sunday’s $35,000 Horseware Ireland Grand Prix saw 46 combinations go to post, with 10 jumping clear in the first round, including three Irish riders. Six pairs managed to jump clear a second time, with Blanchette finishing best of the Irish in fifth place on board Carnlea Premier Balou, when double clear in a jump-off time of 36.59. Swail placed ninth with Clonterm Obolensky, after they incurred four faults in the jump-off (37.79). Simon McCarthy on Fave D’Authuit placed 10th when making it through to the jump-off, but then withdrawing.