IT was a double success for Ireland at Arezzo last Sunday when Kilkenny’s Jack Ryan rode the nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding DSH Lucky Junior (BBS McGregor x Luidam (KWPN)), owned and bred by his uncle Seamus Drea, to win the four-star Gold Tour 1.55m Grand Prix.

There were 50 on the start list and just seven of them jumped clear within the time allowed in the first round to proceed to the jump-off, with only three managing double clears. Ryan finished best of them all, when double clear in the fastest jump-off time of 40.47 seconds to claim the €26,500 top prize. Jack also rode DSH Lucky Junior’s sire, BBS McGregor, bred by his mother Marguerite Ryan, with great success.