Sweetnam back to winning ways

Shane Sweetnam got back to winning ways in stunning fashion at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida, scoring a hat-trick, but just losing out in Saturday’s $82,000 grand prix.

The feature class on week five of the $4m festival saw the Corkman and the 11-year-old mare Siri among 14 of the 47 starters to pass the first-round test.

Last to go, he put in a determined effort, but could not deny Briton Ben Maher, riding Urico, achieving back-to-back grand prix wins.