Connors retains Munster Grand Prix League title

Francis Connors retained his Connolly’s Red Mills Munster Grand Prix League title at Banteer Show, Co Cork, yesterday.

Fifth place aboard Oilean Uno in the final was good enough to ensure the Waterford rider stayed ahead of Seamus Hayes, who placed third with Corphin. Victory on the day went to Liam O’Meara and Zamir.

The league’s leading young rider was Patrick Joyce.

The Irish polo team of Sebastian Dawnay, Max Hutchinson, Siobhan Herbst and Richard Fagan had to settle for the silver medal at the European Championships in France yesterday, going down to England by six goals to three.

All-conquering Darragh Kenny embellished a fantastic season at the weekend when notching up a hat-trick at the four-star show in North Salem, New York.

On Saturday, the US-based Offaly rider teamed up with Prof de la Rogue to fend off Tyrone’s Ronan McGuigan and Capall Zidane to win the American Gold Cup Speed Derby.

Kenny had previously won the Welcome Stakes with the Irish Sport Horse Gatsby, the pairing following up with a win in Friday’s Grand Prix Qualifier.

In Spruce Meadows, Canada, the Irish team of Conor Swail (Lansdowne, 16/), Dermott Lennon (Loughview Lou Lou, 13/), Billy Twomey (Diaghilev, 1/), and Shane Breen (Golden Hawk, 4/) placed sixth of eight countries and did not contest the second round.

In Arezzo, Tipperary’s Greg Broderick also racked up a hat-trick with Noel Cawley’s 10-year-old Cruising mare Rincarina.

At the Global Champions Tour show in Lausanne, Switzerland, 19-year-old Bertram Allen rode Romanov to third place in a 1.55m jump-off class.