Double for Ireland at Hickstead

Shane Breen and Dorada completed an Irish double at Hickstead as they pipped Ellen Whitaker and her specialist horse Henri de Herne for the £3,000 first prize in the Sky Sports Speed Classic at the Longines Royal International Horse Show.

Breen’s victory followed that of compatriot Marie Burke and her horse Chippison, who had the best of a six-way jump off for the Longines Classic and won by less than a second from Switzerland’s Paul Estermann on Kaiser de Quesnoy with Britain’s new international Helen Tredwell finished a close third on Opportunity B.

Both Breen’s Dorada and Whitaker’s Henri de Herne looked evenly matched but the former raced home by 1.36 seconds.

“I watched Ellen’s round very closely and thought I could take a gamble by galloping faster over the Derby Bank,” admitted Tipperary-born Breen, who is hoping to be selected on top ride World Cruise for Ireland’s team at the European Championships in Mannheim next month.

Longines Classic winner Burke is also a likely contender for the Irish team on the 14-year-old stallion Chippison, who was bred from embryo transplant at Burke’s stud and equestrian centre in County Clare which she runs with her veterinary surgeon husband.

“He always shines in a big, atmospheric arena like Hickstead or Dublin,” said Burke of the horse.