Richie Moloney thrilled with victory at Douglas Elliman Grand Prix

Show jumper Richie Moloney was delighted to do his mount justice with victory in Saturday night’s $380,000 (€341,000) Douglas Elliman Grand Prix at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida.

The Kilkenny native spoke about being to blame the previous Sunday when four-faulting in the $216,000 (€193,800) grand prix — won by Offaly’s Darragh Kenny — at the 12-week $9m (€8m) festival with Carrabis Z.

In saying that, Moloney was being a little hard on himself and, after his latest win, he said he could not be happier with his performance on Equinimity LLC’s 13-year-old Zangersheide stallion.

“My horse jumped great,” said Moloney. “He was a little looky into the double in the first round. It was a tough enough line.

“When I did the jump-off, he was jumping better than the first round. He was more relaxed and really jumping. It is a great win. I could not be happier.

“He is a great horse for me, and he has really stepped up in the last 12 months.”

The Warrington rider’s win on Saturday came after he was one of eight to overcome the first-round design set by Tipperary’s Alan Wade and he claimed the top prize in style, finishing more than one-and-a-half seconds faster than New Zealander Sharn Wordley on Casper, with third place going to American Lillie Keenan aboard Super Sox, a horse previously campaigned by her mentor Irish Olympic bronze medalist Cian O’Connor, donning his trainer’s cap, as he rested Good Luck ahead of the $1m grand prix in Ocala, Florida, in a fortnight.

American’s Kent Farrington (Uceko) and Todd Minikus (Babalou 41) were both faster than Moloney, but at a cost of four faults.

Down’s Conor Swail picked up 12 faults with Martha Louise in the grand prix, but he had some consolation when second on Cita in a speed competition. Cork’s Shane Sweetnam also went out of contention in the first round of the grand prix with eight faults on Chaqui Z, but he steered Cyklon 1083 to victory in a $35,000 competition.

At the three-star show in Boras, Sweden, Shane Carey notched up a victory in a two-phase with Contenance plus a second-place finish, while he also rode Contador to second place in a 1.45mtr speed class.

At Vejer de la Frontera, Spain, Tipperary’s Shane Breen scored a win on Silbermond, while Dermott Lennon (Loughview Lou-Lou) placed sixth in yesterday’s grand prix with a single time fault in round one.