YOU Can Do It, owned by Korena Byrne, was ridden to victory by Alex Gilheany in the five and six year-old Final DAFM Breeding Grant at Cavan Equestrian’s two-day August Horse Championships last Sunday.

By George Z out of Aghalaan Annie (Pacino), the six-year-old mare was bred by William Lyttle. Originally produced and ridden by Richard Kerins as a four-year-old, young rider Gilheany took over the rider in April this year.

The class, which carried a €2,000 prize fund, attracted 20 starters. Nine produced a first-round clear to progress to the timed jump-off. Of the nine, just six returned a second clear round. Gilheany was fastest of these in a time of 41.37 for the win and €627 in prize money.

Jazmine Blue (Chacoon Blue x Cruising), bred by Paschal Coffey, ridden and owned by Derek McConnell were runners up. They stopped the clock at 42.16.

Third place went to Angela Waras riding the Gerry Marron-owned and bred Kinmar Jai (Untouchable x Aganix Du Seigneur) in 42.35. Sophie Richards with her own and Maurice Cousins’ Belgian-bred mare Havana MK Z (Hooch DK x Chico’s Boy) finished fourth in 43.12.

Fifth went to Lucy Gibson aboard Charlotte Gibson’s home-bred Lady Catoki (Catoki x Ars Vivendi), while sixth was Feaha Moore with the Jenny McCann-owned and bred five-year-old Volare (Aganix du Seigneur x Hors la Loi II).

Wachman win

Young rider Tom Wachman took the top-spot in Sunday afternoon’s €1,500 1.35m jump-off class aboard Coolmore Showjumping’s Dutch-bred mare I’m Here (Carambole x Numero Uno). The duo saw off stiff competition in the 12-way jump-off, crossing the finish in a time of 35.43 to claim the win.

Junior Ruby Lily Gaines was runner-up aboard Jacqueline Gaines’ 10-year-old gelding Castle Lux Clover (Boherdeal Clover x Lux Z), bred by Jennifer Devlin. Gaines guided her mount to a second clear round in 38.07.

Shane Slattery’s eight-year-old home-bred mare Clarehall Kannan Law (Kannan x Touchdown) finished third with Joan Greene in the saddle when they notched up a time of 41.02.

Carol Gee and Mark Fagan co-own the Belgian-bred Fernhill Holly Chay (Hai D x Mathilde Hayettes) who was ridden into fourth place by Chloe Fagan in 44.36.

Wachman and his second mount, Coolmore Showjumping’s French-bred Do it Easy (Vigo Cece x Laeken) took fifth in 44.44, while Jennifer Torrens rode her own eight-year-old gelding Cool Garcon (Mermus R x Ballinvella) bred by Mary Ellen Rice finished sixth in 46.35.

Hadley on the road

Saturday’s 1.35m Grand Prix, worth €1,500, served as a perfect warm-up for Sven Hadley for the following day’s National Grand Prix in Necarne, which he won aboard his own stallion Phenomene Bleu VDM.

One day earlier he captured the 1.35m Grand Prix in Cavan with his own Uidam, a mare by Luidam out of Miss Mac Car (Cavalier Royale) who was bred by Padraig Howley. The duo broke the finish beams in a time of 32.21 for first place.

Some 36 contenders lined out for the class, 12 managed to stay fault-free in the first round, but just six produced a double clear. Karen Geoghegan’s Dutch-bred Figaro VII (Quality time x Optimist) was guided into the runner-up spot in 32.53 by Mark Duffy.

Hadley also accounted for third place with his own seven-year-old gelding Make It Easy HSH (Don’t Touch It M x Landos) in 33.72. Sophie Richards and Maurice Cousins’ seven-year-old Monbeg Balou (Balou du Rouet x Zacharov TN), bred by Brendan Doyle, slotted into third in 34.02.

O’Connell Sport Horses’ OCS Tolan (Tolan R x Touchdown), bred by Harold McGahern and ridden by Gary Dooley, were fifth in 36.41. Completing the line-up in sixth place was Richard McIvor riding Gary McIvor’s Dutch-bred Jamboree VDL (Harley VDL x Corland).