DERRY’S Daniel Coyle had a good weekend at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, which continued in Toronto, Canada last week, with some notable successes for himself and other Irish combinations.

Coyle took a close second in Thursday evening’s $125,000 1.55m Mad Barn Big Ben Challenge. The class saw 22 on the start list, of whom six proceeded to the jump-off. Just two combinations kept all the fences intact for a second time, with Coyle on the 11-year-old gelding Incredible (Clinton x Heartbreaker) claiming second place and the $25,000 runner-up prize in a time of 38.16. He was narrowly beaten by Germany’s Richard Vogel on Levi Noesar in 37.87, for which he secured the $41,250 top prize.

Coyle and Incredible were runners-up for the second night in-a-row, in Friday’s $63,000 1.50m Centennial Cup, which saw a strong Irish presence in the placings. Coyle stopped the clock in a time of 52.79, finishing just over a second behind Alex Matz (USA) on Cashew CR (51.76). Daniel’s older brother Jordan Coyle on King Kannan GP placed sixth (57.00), while Co Down’s Conor Swail on Gamble finished eighth in a good time of 52.43, but with an unfortunate four faults.

Meanwhile, not to be outdone by his younger brother, Saturday saw Jordan Coyle taking the win in the $37,000 two-star 1.45m Grand Prix riding the nine-year-old mare Keep Me With You NC. There were just 14 starters in the class, with only five of those proceeding to the jump=off and only Coyle and American rider Kristen Vanderveen on Bull Run’s Celestial jumped clear again, with Coyle marginally faster in 34.62, compared with Vanderveen’s 34.88 to give him the top spot.

In the ribbons

Last Wednesday’s $32,250 1.45m Strength and Speed Challenge saw Swail on Gamble finish as runners-up in the 21-starter class. The pair jumped double clear, with a jump-off time of 33.56 seconds, only beaten by American winner Alex Matz on Cashew CR in 32.69.

Daniel Coyle finished on the podium in the $32,250 1.45m International Challenge, placing third on board Farrel. The 20-strong start list produced just eight clear rounds, with Coyle’s time of 53.65 seconds just off the pace of class winner Aaron Vale (USA) on I.Adermie R 4 (52.04) and runner-up McLain Ward (USA) on First Lady (52.31). Coyle’s brother Jordan placed sixth on For Gold, when clear in 59.55.

Daniel rode Langley to win last Thursday’s $15,000 two-star 1.40m Welcome Speed Challenge, with a clear round in 51.76 seconds. He was just fractions ahead of American runner-up Virginia Bonnie on Efodea, who stopped the clock in 51.78! Jordan finished seventh this time with Keep Me With You NC in 58.93.

Jordan had another top 10 finish in the $32.250 1.50m jump-off class, when placing eighth on board King Kannan GP. Clear rounds were hard to come by in this class, with only three of the 17 starters managing to get through to the jump-off. Jordan incurred eight faults in a time of 61.28 to secure eighth place.

The top three remarkably kept all the fences standing second time round and the class was won by Jessica Mendoza (GBR) on I-Cap Cl Z with a double clear round in a jump-off time of 34.06, while Israel’s Daniel Bluman on Hummer Z placed second (34.48) and, with the only other double clear, Canada’s Sean Jobin on Coquelicot vh Heuvelland Z took third in 35.13.

Saturday’s $200,000 1.60m Longines FEI Jumping World Cup saw 20 starters, three of whom were Irish = Daniel Coyle, Jordan Coyle and Conor Swail. Daniel was best of the Irish here, with a 12th place finish riding Legacy.