Gain/Alltech Grand Prix Coilog EC \ Emer Bermingham

IT proved a well worthwhile trip from Roscommon to Coilog Equestrian for Cora Sharkey as she took the honours in the Gain Equine Nutrition/Alltech National Grand Prix Board aboard Lisboy Mermus.

Delighted with Saturday’s win, Sharkey said: “This is my first national Grand Prix win and for the horse too. We have had him since he was a three-year-old after my grandfather bought him. He has been produced through the HSI classes and last year he went to Lanaken as a seven-year-old.

“I watched Pataire (Crawford) go and she put in a very fast round. I knew that I could only try my best and my horse is naturally quick. I got a good angle to the first fence and then a good gallop to the second vertical.

“I also got a tight turn back to the double of verticles. He is very careful so I knew I could trust him. I got a good shot back to the next oxer and a very tight turn back to the last.”

Owned by Joseph Sharkey and bred by Sean Keevans, the eight-year-old gelding is by Mermus R out of Dianes Cruise Clover. This combination has been in form of late, claiming the win in the Connaught Grand Prix in Ballinasloe last month. Competing in their first outing this year, the combination finished runner-up in the RDS young rider (1.35/1.40m) qualifier at The Meadows.

A total of 23 combinations took on the Tom Holden-designed course, and from those six booked their place against the clock. The jump-off course allowed for riders to make up time in the turnbacks. In particular time could be made up from the original fence two, back to the double, before heading home which was a big oxer and left-handed to the last.

First to go, young rider Pataire Crawford kept it tight and made the necessary tight lines aboard Ardfry Van V Uriko. She maintained a very good rhythm throughout and negotiated a very good turn back from the double to the penultimate oxer. This calculated riding saw the Galway rider come home clear in 45.26. Bred by Thomann Wilfried, the eight-year-old stallion is by Uriko out of Kira XVII. This combination is also delivering results in the Mullins Sporthorses Connaught Regional league and most recently took the win in Galway Equestrian.

Crawford’s lead held only temporarily as next in, Cora Sharkey, took almost four seconds off the target aboard Lisboy Mermus. Sharkey took similar lines to Crawford, but was faster across the ground. This along with a very tight line back to the last saw her clock the winning clear in 41.47secs.

Kildare’s Sean Kavanagh set off in a determined pace with Castle Lux Clover, but just could match the winner’s time, clocking 45.02. His round saw him take the runner-up spot and demote Crawford into third. Owned by Aoibhin Phelan and bred by Jennifer Devlin, the eight-year-old mare is by Boherdeal Clover out of Cloonagh Luxury. It was a good show for this combination delivering double clears in the 1.30m two phase special and the 1.35m Mervue Equine Leinster Summer Tour the previous day.

Gemma Phelan proved out of luck when she had two on the ground with ABC Ballycruise. The combination faulted early at fence two and then later at the second part of the double.

Their time of 44.33 saw them take fifth place. Owned by Victoria Foster, and bred by Patrick Kehoe, the eight-old gelding is by Cruising out of the Diamond Lad-sired Arctic Diamond.

Next to go, Stephen Murphy put in a very fast time of 42.99 aboard Chantelle, but four faults at the second part of the double meant that he had to contend with fourth on this occasion. Jointly owned by Stephen and his father Brian, Chantelle was bred by amateur showjumper and family friend Gerry Traynor, the 13-year-old mare is by Lux Z out of the Errigal Flight-sired Texaco’s Delphine.

Things didn’t go to plan for Shannon Robinson who took a fall in the jump-off with Chardonnay. One of the six to book a place against the clock, she did take home the sixth place prize.

Owned by Joy Robinson, the 13-year-old mare is by Diarado and out of Sophie I. This combination had put in a great result the week before at Castle Irvine, taking third in the Gain Equine Nutrition/Alltech Grand Prix after delivering a double clear. They also took third place in the round at Cavan Equestrian in May.