Bertram Allen comes fifth in Longines Grand Prix

Good weekend in Hong Kong for Irish rider who picks up $30,000 prize on Sunday

Bertram Allen on Quiet Easy 4 during the Longines Speed Challenge, from which he emerged victorious. Photograph: Getty
Bertram Allen on Quiet Easy 4 during the Longines Speed Challenge, from which he emerged victorious. Photograph: Getty

Ireland's Bertram Allen rounded off a good weekend in Hong Kong on Sunday when picking up US$30,000 for his fifth-place finish in the Longines Grand Prix with Noel Delahunty and Connaught Bloodstock's Hector van d'Abdijhoeve on which he had been well-placed on Friday and Saturday.

The young Wexford rider won Saturday’s featured speed and handiness class with Quainton Stud’s 12-year-old chesnut gelding Quiet Easy 4 on which he had also been on the mark in Friday evening’s winning round competition. Both classes offered first place prize-money of US$31,350.

On Sunday, Co Mayo's Cameron Hanley won the 1.50m Grand Prix in Lier, Belgium when recording the only double clear with his 11-year-old Indoctro gelding Cas 2.

Across the Atlantic, Sunday's national Grand Prix in Wellington, Florida was won by Katie Dinan and the Irish-bred Dougie Douglas. The now 11-year-old Ard VDL Douglas gelding set a record price for a sport horse sold at an Irish auction when knocked down to Malahide agent Barry O'Connor for €1.4 million at the Goresbridge supreme sale of showjumpers in November.

Prior to his sale to the States, Dougie Douglas had been competed by Britain's Holly Gillott.

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