Hopes high for Nations Cup success in La Baule
This was given credence when Bertram Allen took the top prize in the feature speed class on Romanov, though, winning for the 19-year-old has become so commonplace it is now almost perceived as much a right as a privilege.
O’Connor will be the first rider into the ring today, after Ireland were drawn as pathfinders in the eight-nation contest, with manager Robert Splaine also opting for Darragh Kenny (Sans Soucis Z), Greg Broderick (MHS Going Global) and Allen with his recent World Cup bronze-medal-winning mount Molly Malone.
On paper, it is a formidable quartet and there is much expectation they can make up for Ireland’s last-place finish a fortnight ago in Belgium, where Broderick and Going Global provided the only cause for cheer and became the sole combination to get the nod for La Baule.
O’Connor said the Belgian contest is history with no reference to today’s outcome, the second of Ireland’s four point-gaining shows in the series.
“We don’t even think of Lummen,” said O’Connor. “In fact, we have three new riders here. I was on the winning team here in 2011 and we had lesser class of horses, whereas all the horses looked very good today, so, hopefully we can put two good rounds together tomorrow.”
The top seven countries at the end of the season in the 10-strong Europe Division One qualify for the Furusiyya Series final in Barcelona, but O’Connor says such considerations will have no bearing on the approach adopted today, as the squad has a winning mentality, with the capability to match.
He also sang from the Irish hymn sheet that says everything must be geared towards maximising the effort for the European Championships to secure a ticket to Rio.
“We are aiming for a win. We are not here to make up the numbers. We are not aiming for the likes of third.
“The only important thing this year is to get to the Olympics. I don’t even know the date of the Furusiyya final [for the record, it is September 24-27]. For us, the nations cups are stepping stones for the European Championships,” declared O’Connor,
“I’m sure there are only about eight horses with Irish riders capable of jumping in the championships and I’m sure the five here would be on that list. It is early days, though; some horses can fall out and others can come in, but it is great to have the bones of a team together and, if we win in La Baule, it will give us a great boost and great confidence.”
Last year, O’Connor scored rounds of four and zero with Quidam’s Cherie at the French fixture, as Ireland finished joint third. This year, it is time to give the nine-year-old Good Luck a taste of the big time.
“We were in a 1.45mtr warm-up this morning and jumped clear and really well. This horse looks to be in a different league and the thought process was to bring him on in Florida and introduce him to this level at La Baule. If he doesn’t get the chance to jump at major shows now, he will not be ready for the championships in August. He needs to cement himself at this level.
“Sometimes, nine years is young, but not if a horse with talent gets the right preparation. The nations cup at the Europeans is only a tiny bit higher than in the Furusiyya Series and shouldn’t be a killer.
“We have to see how he will handle it. It will put us in a better position to plan. A time comes when you’ve got to say: ‘C’mon prove yourself.’”
It is a gauntlet also thrown down for the team as a whole today.
Meanwhile, Splaine has named Captain Brian Cournane (Javas Keltic Mist), Michael Duffy (Cortina 200), Capt Geoff Curran (Mullaghbane), Paul O’Shea (Skara Glen’s Sienna or Skara Glen’s Machu Picchu) and Thomas Ryan (Caribo) as his squad for today’s second-division nations cup in Odense, Denmark.
Ireland has been drawn tenth to jump of 13 nations taking part.
Austin O’Connor scored a solid 16th place recently at Rolex Kentucky, with Horseware Balham Houdini making his four-star debut, and the Corkman will be hoping for another good display this weekend at three-star Chatsworth.
The UK-based rider brings out Kilpatrick Knight, the 10-year-old Master Imp gelding he rode to second place in an advanced class a fortnight ago at Whitington Manor, with cross-country time faults proving his undoing after the pair had led after dressage.
O’Connor is joined by Jonty Evans (Double Dutch V and Cooley Rorkes Drift) and Sarah Ennis (BLM Diamond Delux and Horseware Stellor Rebound).
Shane Sweetnam won the 1.45mtr speed class at Lexington three-star with Cyklon yesterday.
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