Balladeer on song for O’Donoghue

GOLD medals counted for nothing in the Irish Horse Board Land Rover World Cup qualifier in Ballindenisk, Co Cork, yesterday as Neilus O’Donoghue gave a lesson in composure to triple Olympic champion Matt Ryan.

In a performance of supreme confidence in this Irish Examiner-sponsored event, O’Donoghue showed he was an able match for the legendary Australian, who was bidding to turn the tables having gone behind to the Corkman after the morning cross-country phase.

Last to go, leader O’Donoghue, riding Balladeer Alfred, watched as the Australian, on Bonza Katoomba, produced what was only the second show jumping clear to turn the screw on his rival. But, with less than a fence separating them and no room for error, O’Donoghue belied the horse’s inexperience to give the expectant crowd their wish.