NO stranger to victory in the main arena at the RDS, Sligo’s Richard Howley won Thursday’s feature Cashel Palace Hotel Stakes at the 2023 Dublin Horse Show.

Partnering HK Horses’ Consulent de Prelet Z (Consulent Z x Fuego du Prelet), Howley posted a double clear round in a time of 34.52, one of just three double clears in the 53-strong competition.

Eight combinations posted a clear first round to progress to the timed decider. The other two clear rounds came from Harry Allen and Calculatus (Cachassini x Contello) in 36.85 for second place.

Greece’s Ioli Mytilineou was making her first visit to Ballsbridge and, riding the Belgian stallion Levis De Muze (Elvis Ter Putte x Tinka’s Boy), posted the only other clear to finish in third.

Five would have a single fence down for four faults. Fastest of these was Ireland’s Denis Lynch and Parco Sport Horses’ Vistogrand (Fantaland x Mr Visto) in 34.83 which would see them finish in fourth.

Fifth went to Shane Sweetnam and his previous day’s winner Out of the Blue SCF, while Portugal’s Duarte Seabra riding his own and Carol Gee’s Dourados (Diarado x Cornet Obolensky) took sixth.

Allen lands victory

Irish riders once again came to the fore in the first international class on Thursday, the Clayton Hotel sponsored Speed Derby. The 17 competitors had been allowed to familiarise themselves with the track and the more ‘natural’ Derby style fences at 7am that morning.

First to go, Jordan Coyle and his own Dutch-bred gelding Eristov (Cicero Z Van Paemel x Concorde) posted a clear round in a time of 89.45 to set the pace.

The next clear round came from third to go, the very experienced pair of Shane Breen and Z7 Ipswich. Breen is well-known for his love of hunting and regularly comes home to Ireland for days out with the Scarteen, in addition to that he is based at one of the most well-known Derby tracks in Hickstead.

He set a new target time of 83.67 and he would hold on to the lead for the entirety of the class until the final competitor, Bertram Allen and Carrera Denfer (Connor 48 x For Pleasure), would slice almost two seconds off his time in 81.95 to snatch the win.

Kilkenny’s Jack Ryan riding Cavalier Teaca (Glidawn Diamond x Cavalier Royale) posted a clear round in 85.30 as fifth to go, this would be good enough for third place.

Mikey Pender, who won the Hickstead Derby in 2019, partnered HHS Vancouver (Indoctro x Don Juan de La Bouverie) on this occasion. They too produced a clear round in 86.21 for fourth place.

Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs was the only non-Irish rider in the top-seven, he slotted into fifth place with Viper (Vigo D Arsouilles Stx x Grannus). Jordan Coyle completed the line up in sixth place.