Carey notches a brace in Austria

Limerick show jumper Shane Carey notched up a brace on Saturday at the three-star show in Villach, Austria.

The former army officer’s opener came with the 11-year-old grey mare Spice Girl in the silver tour.

He followed with victory in the grand prix qualifier on Ballymore Eustace, crossing the finish line just under a quarter of a second ahead of Switzerland’s Paul Estermann on the Irish Sport Horse, OBOS Quality-sired Castlefield Eclipse. There was no luck for Denmark-based Carey in yesterday’s grand prix, eight faults in the first round leaving him in 10th, one place ahead of Derry’s Trevor Coyle on Carlina.

In the World Cup grand prix in Dubai, Cian O’Connor rode Unique to sixth place, knocking one fence in the nine-horse jump-off.

Having won the qualifier on Friday, Marion Hughes rued four faults with Heritage HHS Fortuna in the first round of the grand prix, leaving her equal tenth.