JONATHAN Smyth and Mulvin Lui completed what has been a very successful season for the gelding with a superb victory in the 1.60m Plusvital Grand Prix last Sunday at Barnadown in Co Wexford.

Owned by Noletta Smyth and Roy Craig, the 13-year-old gelding is by Luidam out of Castleconnor Baron (Baron De Chantepie) and was bred by Vincent Loftus.

The duo have earned numerous top-10 Grand Prix wins and placings this year and competed in the internationals at the five-star Dublin Horse Show.

They earned this win when they returned the only double clear of the 26-strong class which offered €10,000 in prize money. Some 25% of the first round returned for the jump-off but Smyth was alone on a score of zero from the outset.

As last to go against the clock he knew that if he stayed within the time allowed and left all the fences up, he would secure the top-spot. He did so in a time of 46.67 and claimed the lion’s share of the €10,000 prize fund.

Francis Connors finished as runner-up aboard his own and Jenny and Kate Connors eight-year-old mare Carrigshawn Vendi Royal (Dondoctro Ryal K x Ars Vivendi). Bred by John Warner, she collected a single time fault in round one and was clear in the jump-off in 51.38 for second place.

Mikey Pender, riding Marion Hughes’ stallion Chacco Bay, was third. The combination who have been competing at five-star level internationally had one down in round one and were clear in 38.01 against the clock. Clare Hughes’ mare Castlefield Hera, ridden by young rider European champion Seamus Hughes Kennedy, took fourth place, with one down followed by a clear in 39.26.

Derryinver Truffle (Tornesch x Cruising), bred by Tom and Linda Magee, and ridden by Luke Campbell for owner David Campbell took fifth place having earned two time faults in the first round and having one fence down in the second.

Niamh McEvoy took the sixth and final place riding her winning mount from Friday’s Grand Prix, Robin Bingham’s Templepatrick Welcome Limmerick (Limerick x Lux Z) they had one fence down in each round to finish on a total of eight in 36.61.