Swail favourite for indoor league crown after impressive Millstreet victory
The Co Down rider boasts 43 points, five more than Doyle. But with two competitions to count, it is difficult to call.
After tomorrow's contest (with points in descending order of six, five, four, three, two and one) it will be easier to predict. Sunday's grand prix (with 10, eight, six, five, four and three points on offer), however, will probably decide the result, with the winner netting 3,250, and runner-up 1,750.
His five-point lead aside, Swail's performance last Sunday makes him hot favourite.
It would have been hard to dispute his comments after the competition, when he said of Windgates King Koal: "He's the best horse I've ever had."
The Co Down rider had just brought the curtain down in dramatic fashion on the show by winning the 10,000 grand prix when last to go.
While delighted, there was an element of poignancy for Swail, it being the combination's first major win since the horse's return to health. The 15-year-old bay gelding had "nearly died" in June when hit by a severe bout of colic and had to undergo two operations, said Swail.
The victory was also notable for the fact that it was exactly one year since the pairing had last won a major grand prix, at Zuidlaren, the Netherlands.
Not surprisingly, Swail, based in Malahide, Co. Dublin and oft times in the yard of owner Edward Cawley in Co Meath, was ebullient.
"I'm thrilled. It's my first show trying to do anything with him and he felt as good as ever. He felt as if he was jumping a 1.10m class. He's the best horse every had in my life."
The top 25% entries, amounting to 10 horses, were recalled for the jump-off on Sunday, with seven of those jumping clear and three posting four faults.
Ominously for his rivals, Swail was last to go.
Eddie Moloney and Jaynick took the lead at the midway stage with a clear in 39.21 seconds, but his brother, Richie, had little trouble reducing this when crossing the line clear in 37.41 seconds on Appolinaire . The latter was bidding for a double, having won the grand prix at the Millstreet outdoor show in August.
Edward Doyle, riding Effective, had other ideas, but his best efforts did not bear fruit and he crossed the line in 37.87.
Thus it was left to Swail and Windgates King Koal to deny Moloney his Millstreet grand prix double and, in uncompromising fashion, the pair cut almost three seconds off the target when coming home in 34.50.
"If my horse is clear, he is quick enough, so I knew if I left the jumps up, he would win," said Swail, who earlier had shown his paces by placing first, third and fourth in the day's speed class with Windgates Mystery, Windgates Cruiseway and Windgates Sensation, respectively.
Francis Connors, returning to competition after being sidelined with injury for the summer, placed second with Noel C Duggan's Millstreet Miss to deny Swail a clean sweep.
Shane Breen took no chances in the Saturday's Dairygold Indoor Derby qualifying three for the jump-off. Luandra proved the fastest, the 10-year-old mare netting the Cashel rider the major share of the 6,000 prizemoney. World Cruise saw him also finish fourth, behind Eddie Moloney (Kilmoylan Warrier) and Ronan Clarke (Athletico 26), second and third respectively.
Having won the 1.30m final on Saturday, Galway rider Tom Slattery and My Irish Paddy returned later to take the Calor Gas Speed Derby. The Galway rider's hat-trick was completed on Sunday, when won the 1.20m class on Betty Murphy's Chikiara CH.
Another to have a memorable show was Gabriel Slattery. The Claremorris rider left no one in doubt as to the class of his Boomerang winner Welcome Captain when taking the five-year-old final. Sired by his own Captain Clover, the gelding proved unbeatable throughout the week, winning both qualifying competitions. Slattery also topped the rankings in the Friday's jump-off class with Riverdance Clover and won Thursday's 1.30m qualifier with Abbey Star.
DERMOTT LENNON has withdrawn from the Belfast Indoor International Horse Show. He said he did not have the horses to compete at the standard he would have wished.
The world champion's withdrawal is a blow to the organisers who are hoping the show's debut will see them gain a World Cup class next year as he is somewhat of a local hero.
"I know my withdrawal is a bit of an issue, and I would have loved to be there. It was the same for Dublin, but with Liscalgot out, I just did not have horses," said the Co Down rider yesterday.
Also, Lennon said he did not want to deny a rider whose horses are on form a place in the show.
Marion Hughes has been given the nod by the show organisers to fill the world champion's place at the four-day show, which begins on November 27.
This weekend, Lennon competes a number of young horses in Vienna, Austria.
Of his world champion mare Liscalgot, he said: "She's not back in work, but hopefully I will have her for next year. She was injured in June and it is slow to heal."
PETER CHARLES notched up his first major win with It's Magic Max last Saturday, taking the mini derby at Liege, Belgium.
The Hampshire-based rider was at the centre of controversy earlier this year when winning the ride on the English-owned gelding, regarded as a likely Olympic horse.
The former European team and individual champion also showed that his efforts to cement a solid relationship with the nine-year-old are proving fruitful, when he placed sixth in Sunday's grand prix.
The stalwart of Irish show jumping was one of seven to make the jump-off from a starting line-up of 50 that boasted some of world's top riders.
Marion Hughes was also in winning mode at the show. Aboard O'Jessie she teamed up with Belgian Dominique Hendrickx (Bioagrico Lorrain Z) to win a pair's speed class. Hughes rode O'Jessie to third place in this year's Millstreet outdoor grand prix.
Billy Twomey jumped clear with Saffier to place sixth in a 1.45m two-phase class on Friday.
Alexander Butler, riding Silogue Darki, also ensured Ireland were well represented in the pony ranks, boasting a 1.5-second margin in winning a jump-off class on Saturday.
In Klagenfurt, Austria, Ciaran Howley rode Omar to victory in a 1.25m competition.
