Allen speeds to victory

It was Bertram Allen’s turn to fly the flag for Ireland yesterday at Olympia International Horse Show in London, as he scorched to victory in a speed contest.

Last to go in a 31-strong field, the 19-year-old show jumper faced a stiff task, after Belgian Constant van Paesschen clocked 59.92 seconds in the one-round class on Ralphy Utopia de Ransbeck.

However, German-based Wexford native Allen proved more than capable, knocking almost two seconds off the target with Wild Thing L, which he jointly owns with Cork rider Billy Twomey.

Allen, one of show jumping’s hottest tickets and, at 17th place, Ireland’s highest rider in the world rankings, said: “It definitely wasn’t effortless. Constant had set a really fast time, so we had to give a lot to beat him.”

On Thursday, the Wexford rider and the 11-year-old bay mare just missed out when runners-up in the equivalent contest, before Sussex-based David Simpson got the ball rolling for Ireland when winning the puissance with the 13-year-old grey mare Richi Rich.

Meanwhile, Ronan McGuigan and Capall Zidane were to the fore at the Holiday Festival in Florida, winning a $10,000 class.