O’Flynn boosts Olympic prospects with a second

CZECH Jaroslav Hatla, riding Kyrenejennalla’s Boy, may have won the feature three-star competition at a sun-drenched Ballindenisk International Horse Trials in Cork yesterday, but it was the gutsy performance of Jane O’Flynn and Kilnadeema Star, who finished runner-up, that most warmed the attendance.

The Kildare rider was involved in a near fatal accident when competing last August. Defying logic, she has returned to competition and even has her sights set on the Olympics. Her performance at Ballindenisk would certainly have boosted her hopes of making the short list after Punchestown in June, particularly in light of the fact that it was the 13-year-old chestnut gelding’s first outing in 10 months.

In yesterday’s cross-country, O’Flynn added just two time-faults, having also jumped clear in Saturday’s show-jumping, to finish on a score of 62.3 penalties.

However, her dressage score of 60.3 meant she was always chasing Hatla. The British-based rider picked up just one time-fault yesterday and, combined with his dressage score of 46.6 and two show-jumping penalties, finished on a total of 49.6 to take the inaugural running of the three-star event which was an olympic qualifier.

Hatla was denied a double by Cork rider Neilus O’Donoghue (Blackwater Clover), who won the two-star event. In show-jumping, Cian O’Connor jumped to the top of the IJM TimberFrame Grand Prix League when winning at County Louth show yesterday with Irish Independent’s Annabella.

Olympic shortlisted O’Connor was fourth at last week’s League opener in Coilóg and now has 14 points. In Milan, the Showjumping Cup was won by France’s Bruno Broucqsault, riding Dileme de Cephe.