More Derby joy for Trevor Breen
In doing so, his mount Loughnatousa WB became the first horse in the prestigious competition’s 54-year history to win it twice with two different riders.
In 2012, Waterford rider Paul Beecher, who produced the horse from his early years, took the title with the now 16-year-old chestnut gelding.
Further Irish interest in yesterday’s competition came in the form of Cork’s Billy Twomey, who shared second place with Diaghilev when one of five riders to end on four faults.
The competition has an illustrious history, with its roll of honour featuring many of show jumping greats, including Eddie Macken who won it four times in a row — 1976-79 — on the great Boomerang.
Traditional derby challenges like the Bank and Devil’s Dyke once again caught out many combinations yesterday, but Breen delivered an immaculate round from an early draw and it proved enough. He collected a winner’s purse of just under £33,000 and became the first rider since Britain’s Nick Skelton in 1987 and 1988 to win the derby in successive years on different horses.
Breen, who is based near Heathrow, prevailed last year on the one-eyed Adventure De Kannan and said after his latest win: “It is an unbelievable feeling.
“I was riding two past derby winners today in Loughnatousa and Adventure De Kannan [equal seventh], so I felt that I had a shout, but it is such a tough course, extremely difficult, and you need a lot to go right. Both horses jumped superbly for me.
“It is a sweet win. Paul Beecher produced him [Loughnatousa WB] and rode him, and it is super for the horse to win again.
“To win the derby once is a dream come true, so to win it twice feels a bit surreal.”
On Saturday, Cian O’Connor came close to winning at the famous West Sussex fixture, when runner-up in a 1.50mtr jump-off class with the eight-year-old stallion Aramis.
Irish show jumper David Blake made the most of being last to go when claiming the $127,000 grand prix at the Tryon Equestrian Centre in North Carolina.
The Clare rider, aboard Pine Hollow Farm’s Binkie, was in a three-way jump-off, secure in knowing that a clear round would earn him victory after American pair Lauren Tisbo (Entre Nous) and Andrew Welles (Boo Van Het Kastanjehof) both lowered rails.
However, the crunch was whether to play it safe and go for a slow clear and pay the price if knocking a fence, or to up the pace but increase the odds of faulting.
Blake opted for the former and it paid off, negotiating a smooth and fault-free round with the 2006 Dutch warmblood gelding to secure the win.
“I knew since there was only three of us in it and there were two good riders in front of me with Andrew and Lauren, that they would probably be quicker than me if they were clear,” he said. “When I saw Lauren’s late rail, I had to make a choice when I walked into the ring about whether I wanted to go quick and risk a rail or if I wanted to play it safe.”
For good measure, Blake’s groom at Pine Hollow Farm, Aoife O’Grady from Galway, picked up $500 in recognition of her input in the win.
Wexford’s Bertram Allen also tasted grand prix success yesterday, the mare Molly Malone V carrying him to victory at the three-star show at Geesteren, the Netherlands.
At the three-star show in Canteleu, France, Thomas Ryan and Cruise on Clover topped the leaderboard in a 1.45mtr class.
In eventing, Joseph Murphy was delighted with his second place performance at Hopetoun, Scotland, aboard Electric Cruise. The Down-based Mullingar rider opened with 45.00 penalties in dressage, adding just two time penalties in the cross-country to his show jumping clear.
Murphy had to give way to Britain’s Nicola Wilson (One Two Many) on 43.80pens, but described himself “pleased with the horse’s performance after recent turning issues” in Luhmuhlen, Germany.
“I had spoken to Capt Mark Phillips, who designed both Luhmulhen and Hopetoun and was aware that his track in Scotland would be technical and up to height. It asked plenty of questions, which allowed me to experiment with a snaffle for our autumn campaign,” said Murphy, adding that a €200,000 donation, from an anonymous benefactor, towards Irish squad training was very welcome.
“As a Rio squad member, it is greatly appreciated and fantastic that somebody has the belief to back us for Rio and we as riders will be trying to justify their investment with medals next year.”
