Cameron Hanley wound up a perfect week for the Irish at Hickstead yesterday, winning the Traxdata King George V Gold Cup from a thrilling five-way jump-off to add to Friday's stunning Nations Cup triumph and Saturday's Irish one-two in the Traxdata Speed Grand Prix.
The 27-year-old Hanley had won a national warm-up class on Wednesday with the 11-year-old Ballaseyr Twilight before getting the call-up for Friday's Irish team. Based in Switzerland for over eight years before taking over as the Ballaseyr stable jockey at the end of May, Hanley had originally been nominated to ride only in the national classes, but he made the most of the unexpected opportunity and netted a £12,000 winner's cheque for his Isle of Man based American owners yesterday.
It was particularly fitting that Ballaseyr Twilight provided the horsepower for Hanley's victory. Until 18 months ago, the 11-year-old Clover Hill gelding was owned by Irish chef d'equipe Tommy Wade, who himself won the prestigious King's Cup back in 1963 with the overgrown pony Dundrum. Jumped by Francis Connors under the name Sure Coin, Twilight was sold to the Ballaseyr stables in a deal brokered by Hanley's trainer, Peter Charles, whose withdrawal on Wednesday gave Hanley his international opening.
With five Irish on the startlist for yesterday's feature, it looked as though single errors were going to deny a final flourish for Ireland. Billy Twomey, who had scored such a brilliant win in Saturday's Speed Grand Prix, faulted just once, as did Saturday's runner-up Dermott Lennon (Garronturton Lady) and Cian O'Connor (Normandy). That proved good enough for a nine-way divide for sixth place when just five found the key to the testing 13-fence track.
Drawn third of the quintet, Hanley had the early target set by last year's Hickstead Derby winners Rob Hoekstra and Lionel in his sights and, with Ballaseyr Twilight answering his every command, he sliced off more than 1.5 of a second to sweep into the lead and his remaining two rivals just couldn't make the grade.
Germany's Lutz Gripshover, winner of the Millstreet World Cup qualifier last November, posed the greatest threat with his speed merchant Warren. Last into the arena, his challenge ended at the first and he slid to third with the fastest four faults behind Hanley and Hoekstra.
Hanley's victory completed a remarkable double for the Ballaseyr stables in the Isle of Man as 26-year-old Claudia Neureiter had earlier become the first Austrian to win the Hasseroder Queen Elizabeth II cup with Ballaseyr Leonardo.
