Twomey achieves important fourth place in Basel

WITH the battle for individual places at the Olympics intensifying, Billy Twomey achieved an important fourth place in the lucrative grand prix at Basel, Switzerland, yesterday.

The latest rankings showed the Corkman still holding the last of three places on offer, with Tipperary’s Denis Lynch retaining pole position ahead of the cut-off date of March 1.

While Lynch failed to make the jump-off yesterday, posting four faults with Lantinus, Twomey and Tinka’s Serenade were on course for a repeat of their win last year when among 11 to make the jump-off from a 45-strong field.

While the 34-year-old repeated his first-round clear to take the lead, he was eventually overtaken, with victory going to France’s Roger-Yves Bost and Castle Forbes Myrtille Paulois, the horse previously ridden by Antrim’s Jessica Kürten before her falling out with owner Georgina Forbes.

Twomey, nevertheless, earned €35,000 for his efforts.

Marion Hughes continued to reap the benefits of a trip to the United Arab Emirates, riding HHS Fortunas to third place in Saturday’s Abu Dhabi World Cup Grand Prix.

The Portuguese-domiciled Kilkenny woman was second in the Dubai Grand Prix last weekend and joined three others in yesterday’s jump-off.

However, though she had to give way to winner Saudi Arabia’s Khaled al Eid, riding Vanhoeve, she pocketed €11,000.

Fourth place went to Egypt’s Ahmed Tolba, riding Cian O’Connor’s former mount Splendor.

In Florida, O’Connor is beginning to show form with his new horse Blue Loyd, finishing third in the first grand prix of the $6 million Winter Equestrian Festival.

O’Connor and the 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding produced one of only three double clears, but fell short by just under two seconds to American Beezie Madden on Simon, a new horse with whom she has Olympic ambitions, while Britain’s Nick Skelton and Unique finished second.

Andrew Bourns and the Irish-bred, Obos Quality-sired Gowran Park placed seventh on eight faults, while a single first-round time fault kept Richie Moloney and Alsvid out of the jump-off and in eighth place.

O’Connor, who on day one of the festival posted a win with Everything, was delighted with Blue Loyd: “He has been good this week. The first day in the 1.45m he was sixth, and the second day he was second. Today he was third, so he is earning his keep,” he said with a laugh.

“I was happy to have all of the experience my horse had and I am just getting to know him,” added the Meath-based rider.

“I have just done three shows in the fall as well, like Beezie has, and I wanted to build my horse up and try to get the hang of him early in the year, so that is why I am here. It is a wonderful show and I am delighted to be here.”