O’Connor leading rider in Dubai

CIAN O’CONNOR took the leading rider award on Saturday at the Dubai Show Jumping Championships, the first of four shows he will contest in the United Arab Emirates.

He claimed the accolade on the back of two wins, the first coming on Friday with Larkhill Cruiser in the qualifier for the World Cup class, followed by victory in an accumulator class on the eight-year-old mare Arabella.

Larkhill Cruiser was hugely successful on the domestic circuit in the hands of John Floody and is proving a useful foil for O’Connor since he acquired him a few months back. The Meath-based rider also saddled up the 10-year-old Cruising gelding for Saturday’s Arab League World Cup Grand Prix and added a second-round clear to his four-fault opener to finish fifth.