IRELAND’S Philip McGuane had a fantastic Friday at Wellington International in Florida, when he rode Orphea HQ to victory in the three-star $62,500 1.50m WEF Challenge Cup Round VI, a qualifying class for the $140,000 KASK CSI3* Grand Prix on Saturday.

There was a large start list of 67 horses and riders taking on the course, designed by Mexico’s Anna Catalina ‘Catsy’ Cruz on the grass derby field. From these, 12 combinations jumped clear in the first round, with nine taking part in the jump-off, including McGuane and fellow Irishman, Tom Wachman riding Lazzaro Delle Schiave.

Only four managed to jump clear again second time out, with McGuane and Orphea HQ the fastest of these, stopping the clock in a time of 38.62 seconds. Wachman on Lazzaro Delle Schiave placed ninth, finishing with eight faults in 40.41 seconds.

McGuane was more than half a second faster than Canada’s Susan Horn riding Kirlo Van Den Bosrand, whose time of 39.27 over the short track secured second place for owner Kingsfield Farm. The third place on the podium was filled by Alexandra Worthington (USA) on De l’Oiseliere, owned by Turn a Blind Eye LLC, in a time of 39.51 seconds.

Career-best

This win was a career-best for Orphea HQ, a 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare (Emerald x Epleaser van’t Heike), owned by Evergate Stables. The mare started the season with a top-five finish in the WEF 1 three-star Grand Prix and has been knocking on the door of a win.

“Philip has developed a really strong partnership with her (Orphea HQ). It’s been really cool to see him really come into his element, get more competitive and dig in for these kinds of classes, because we always knew he was capable of it,” said owner, Nayel Nassar of Evergate Stables about McGuane’s partnership with the mare, owned by Evergate since she was seven. “The way she warmed up today, I knew that this was very winnable for her. She’s continued to impress us and keeps improving. It’s a very proud moment for team Evergate and we’re proud of Philip too.”

McGuane’s role with the Evergate Stables team is to develop their younger stock; he previously rode for Switzerland’s Beat Mändli and U.S. rider Katie Dinan. During his time with Evergate, he has developed a definite connection with the mare.

“She’s not very big herself, but she has a big heart,” said McGuane of the mare that bears a striking resemblance to her sire, Emerald. “She knows where the jumps are, and as long as I don’t make a mistake, she’s always there. I just need to get her anywhere near the jumps to be honest.”

McGuane has been in Wellington since 2019 and now calls it home.

“I’m super happy and very lucky,” he concluded.

Philip McGuane and Orphea HQ being presented with their prize for winning the three-star $62,500 WEF Challenge Cup Round VI at Wellington International in Florida \ Sportfot

In the ribbons

Week six of the Winter Equestrian Festival at Wellington International kicked off last Wednesday, with Ireland’s Senan Hayes and Tito winning the day’s Five-year-old Young Jumper class and Cormac Hanley on Santiago VH Netehof runners- up in the Six-year-old class.

On Thursday, the $1,000 1.40m class saw McGuane on Edgard de Prefontaine finish seventh, followed by Lorcan Gallagher and Copycat in ninth.

Shane Sweetnam secured an eighth place in the $6,000 1.45m class with Pas Normal V, while Nicky Galligan rode Hermione de L’Hodez to the top of the $2,500 1.35m Open Jumper class.

Dylan Daly placed ninth in the $6,000 1.40m Open Jumper class, while the Six-year-old Young Jumper class was won by Hanley on Santiago VH Netehof, with Kevin Gallagher on Ninja BF in sixth. McGuane rode My Lady Van de Krekel into fifth place in the Seven-year-old class.

Friday’s $2,500 1.35m Open Jumper class saw Nicky Galligan on Hermione de L’Hodez place fourth, followed by McGuane on Devino VD Whertherbach in seventh. Kevin Gallagher on Ninja BF were second in the Six-Year-Old Young Jumper class and McGuane was placed again, when third in the Seven-Year-old class. Simon McCarthy on Gotcha were 10th in the $6,000 1.40m Open Jumper class.

Saturday started well for the Irish, when Tom Wachman steered Obora’s Laura into first place in the $5,000 Under 25 Welcome class, while on Sunday, Francis Derwin on Elien placed sixth in the $31,020 Under 25 Grand Prix.

Emily Moloney also deserves a mention as she and the Irish-bred GVS Goodwins Queen finished sixth in the $10,000 NAL 1.35m Medium Junior Classic during week five of competitions at Wellington.