Townend wins ugly at Ballindenisk

Briton Ollie Townend doubled his chances of pocketing a €50,000 bonus next September when victorious with the Irish-bred Douglas at Ballindenisk International Horse Trials in Cork yesterday.

With the going very sticky after a night of rain, the Cheshire-based rider had, despite his win, no hesitation in muddying his performance in the three-star, short-format class.

“It was probably the ugliest round I have ever ridden with him,” he declared. “I let him run away with me and lost a bit of jump in the process, but he’s a very good horse,” said Townend, who withdrew Neo Du Breuil, the mount that had put him in pole position after Saturday’s dressage and cross-country.