Balladeer on song for O’Donoghue
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.
O’Donoghue’s smile when he exited the arena told the story, but there was also a feeling of relief: “I have a horse that is short of match practice and I had just one run before coming here. So, it’s a huge plus to get to the end and to be in front is just fantastic.
“For me to win is unbelievable, as my horse is a relative novice.”
O’Donoghue confirmed it was a big possibility he would go to the World Cup final in Malmo, Sweden, next August. “I will sit down with Elaine Reilly (owner of the horse with O’Donoghue) and lay down a plan,” he said.
He went into this weekend’s competition on the back of a win in Tyrella last weekend in the two-star. The World Cup qualifier however, was a big step up in class. But his talent and that of Balladeer Alfred were obvious from the start, the pairing getting their competition off to a perfect start with a fluid dressage test.
Thus, yesterday morning’s cross- country saw him in contention, lying in fourth place on 50.6 penalties. Little separated him from those preceding him, with Ryan holding the top slots on Royal Dragoon (44.4 pen) and Bonza Katoomba (48.4) and Briton Melanie Wilder riding Queen Council III to an early third place with 50 penalties. Also threatening were New Zealander Dan Jocelyn and Silence (55 pens) and British Royal Zara Phillips, riding Springleaze Macaroo (55.6 pens). Over a cross-country course that caused little difficulty, it was time that played the major role.
When the last rider crossed the finish line, O’Donoghue said he could not believe it when he found himself in front. While he had added six time penalties to his score, British-based Ryan had 11 with Katoomba and a punishing 17 on Royal Dragoon. The upshot was, while an Irishman now led, he had less than a fence to spare going into the show jumping phase.
This third and final phase opened on a good note with a clear round. But it subsequently became a famine, as the holding ground and Tony Hurley’s design left the hunger for clears unsated. Ryan gave little hope when he lowered two with Dragoon, a result however, that still saw him finish third. It was not until he returned with Katoomba that his class again surfaced, the clear round providing a knife-edge finish to the competition.
O’Donoghue however, proved every inch the champion, matching his more senior rival in style for a win that had been ordained. Not surprisingly, he praised the Edmund Burke-sired grey gelding, who was bred by Declan Hurley, Enniskeane, Co Cork, coincidentally, O’Donoghue’s home town.
“He’s the one horse that’s keeping me in this game,” said O’Donoghue, who now works for Coolmore vet John Halley in Fethard, Co Tipperary.
There was consolation for Ryan however, when he rode Swang Ryan to victory in the two-star class. Zara Phillips said she had had a good time and praised the cross-country courses.
In the World Cup final in Las Vegas, Jessica Kurten (Quibell) has a mountain to climb in this morning’s last round. She is on 16 faults, with the leader Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (Shutterfly) on zero.
Meanwhile, Cian O’Connor has availed of his right to jump domestically, winning the 1.40m class on Echo Beach at the County Louth Show in Dundalk on Saturday.
He placed fourth with Gain Dot Com in yesterday’s grand prix, won by Harry Marshall (All Shook Up). The Show Jumping Association of Ireland will tomorrow night discuss extending O’Connor’s ban to national classes.
In Scotland, the Irish Pony Club team of Emma Gayer (Duhallow PC) Colm Kennedy, (Carlow PC), Phillip Wholley, Kate Walsh and Megan Hayes (all United Hunt PC) finished fourth in the mounted games.
