Babington collects in Classic

Show jumper Kevin Babington spent a brief spell in a water jump on Sunday, but he made sure it didn’t dampen his day as he went on to win the $250,000 Hampton Classic in New York.

The US-based Tipperary rider was first into the ring at 8am for a young-horse class, when he took a dive. Completely soaked, he was forced to wear a back-up jacket, missing one button, for the grand prix, declaring afterwards: “Maybe I should start wearing this jacket for good luck.”

Babington pocketed €62,000 in the World Cup class after guiding the nine year-old mare Shorapur to victory in a four-horse jump-off. Third best was Kilkenny’s Richie Moloney who lowered the penultimate fence on Freestyle de Muze, with the Irish duo split by Brianne Goutal and Nice de Prissey.