Coyle clinches third Spring Tour title

Daniel Coyle clinched his third successive HSI/Connolly’s Red Mills Spring Tour title yesterday when seventh with Uptown Girl in the final at Coilog Equestrian Centre, Co Kildare.

The Derry rider had given himself an almost unassailable lead when winning the penultimate leg on Sunday at Warrington, Co Kilkenny, and yesterday’s result came as his nearest rival, Galway’s Thomas O’Brien, failed to make an impression.

Yesterday’s final was won by Edward Butler, his performance with Caugherty over a second faster than Cian O’Connor on Saphir in a 17-horse jump-off.

In Lyon, France, there was a German one-two in the World Cup final, led by Daniel Deusser, who provided four clear rounds with Cornet D’Amour over three days of jumping. Runner-up was veteran Ludger Beerbaum, a late call up on Chiara 222, with world No1, Britain’s Scott Brash, in the bronze medal position on Ursula XII.

At the one-star international show in Millstreet, Co Cork, Stephen Moore won the grand prix on Merlin’s Magic.