VINCENT Byrne won his second Gain/Alltech National Grand Prix of 2024 last Sunday in Coilóg. Riding Denis Lynch’s former Grand Prix mount, Flaminia Straumann’s German-bred gelding Quantino (Quarz x Coriano), Byrne proved best in the six-way jump-off to secure the win and the lion’s share of the €4,000 on offer.

He added this victory to the one he had earned at the end of April aboard his other mount, CBI Bella Donna at The Meadows.

Speaking after the win, Byrne told The Irish Field: “I rode him as a young horse. When he was a stallion, he would have stood with Peader and Nadine Murphy. He covered mares when he was a three-year-old and he would have covered mares for a few years here in Ireland.

“Then he went to Germany and Denis Lynch was competing him. Then someone else connected to Denis had him for a while. I was at a show in Lier in Belgium last March and we happened to bump into Denis. He asked if I would have any interest in riding the horse, so I jumped him there in a couple of 1.40m and it went well. He said maybe take him home and campaign him for the summer there, so we did.

“Since he came back, he has jumped one Premier at Barnadown, he had just one down, and was very good. He has been very consistent and competitive in the 1.40m classes. He was fourth in The Meadows, he was clear and fourth at Barnadown, sixth at Hollypark, was very good in Mullingar, and then he won here today.

“I know I had him as a youngster, but we are still a relatively new partnership at this level, and still getting to know each other. But I’m confident he will be useful at the higher levels.”

Byrne added: “He is a welcome addition to my string for sure. I haven’t made an exact plan yet, but I think I’ll be looking at maybe Cavan, Balmoral and Tattersalls over the next month or two.”

The victory has moved Byrne up to second place on the league leaderboard with 26 points. He is now just five points behind Francis Derwin Jnr (31 points).

Strong field

A total of 25 combinations lined out for the 10th round of the league. Just six left all the fences intact in round one, with 10 combinations collecting four faults each to keep them out of the timed decider.

First to go against the clock was Lt Michaeli Byrne riding the Minister For Defence’s eight-year-old gelding Glendarragh (Future Trend x Aldatus Z). They once again left all the fences up, crossing the finish line in a time of 42.27 for eventual third place.

Joanne Morton’s Blueoak Legaland (Diamant de Semilly x Clinton), bred by Joe Reilly and ridden by Abby Morton, also left all the jumps in place, stopping the clock at 43.23 for fourth place.

Next was Jonathan Smyth with Ann Doherty’s home-bred gelding Crystal Graf (Lux Z x Graf Magna). They were unlucky to have one fence down for four faults in what was the fastest time of the day, 38.91. This secured them fifth place.

Commandant Geoff Curran, riding Jessica Stallard’s and the Minister For Defence’s mare DHF Alliance (ARD VDL Douglas x Lux Z), bred by Paul Douglas, came closest to catching Byrne when they posted a second clear round, breaking the finish beams in 39.92 for eventual second place.

Byrne was next in. He guided Quantino to a fault-free round, slicing 0.09 seconds off the time set by Curran to capture the lead.

Last to go was Holly Lenahan with her own 10-year-old home-bred gelding Khalinov (Ustinov x Clover Flush). They were unlucky with a single fence down in a time of 44.10, which left them in sixth place.

The next round of the Gain/Alltech Grand Prix league takes place today, June 22nd, at Cavan Equestrian Centre.

Leinster win for Wood

Harry Wood and GBBS Ltd’s seven-year-old gelding Pembrook Corbetts Lane won the Leinster Mervue 1.35m jump-off in CoilÓg last Saturday. By Kannan, out of MHS Pembrook Lady (Guidam), he was bred by Kilmashogue Stud.

Some 39 starters lined out. Of these, just 11 managed to leave all the fences intact in the first round. Ten combinations had a single fence down, while two more had two fences down each for eight faults.

First to go in the jump-off was Ethen Ahearne aboard Dermot Walsh’s eight-year-old LVS Goldrush (Stakkato Gold x Stakkato), bred by Heritage Bloodstock Ltd. A second clear round in a good time of 41.72 set the pace for the remaining nine, and would see them claim the runner-up spot.

Grace McHugh was second to go riding Berlios Van De Kapel. Owned by GMH Sporthorses, the Dutch-bred eight-year-old gelding is by Quasimodo Z. They too left all the poles in their cups, stopping the clock in a cautious 46.66 for eventual sixth place.

Harry Wood was third to go with his first mount, Keith Ennis’ Belgian-bred Olympic GL FVD’ (Galisco Van Paemel x Bengale). Once again, they produced a second round clear, but in an even more cautious time of 49.69 for seventh place.

Derek McConnell was next in with his own mare Longfield Quinlui (Quintender x Luidam). One fence on the ground saw them finish outside the placings.

Second Lt Raphael Lee and the Minister For Defence’s eight-year-old Killossery Kilshane (Killossery Kruisette x Cruising) also had one fence down in 44.34. Gliding Light (Aganix Du Seigneur x Harlequin Du Carel), bred by Michael Griffin and owned and ridden by Sarah Connell, produced the fourth clear round of the jump-off, theirs coming in 45.77 for fifth place.

Gerard Clarke and his own Dutch-bred gelding L (Action Breaker x Quidam de Revel) had four fences down, while next in was Jim Donohoe riding Niamh Ó Donnabháin’s Culdearg Clover Lad (Gelvin Clover x Touchdown) and they provided a foot-perfect clear in 44.66, which would leave them in fourth place.

Chloe Fagan was last to go aboard Carol Gee and Mark Fagan’s Fernhill Holly Chay, they unfortunately parted ways and suffered elimination.