The in-form Darragh Kenny recorded another five-star win late on Friday afternoon when he landed the first competition in the Parisian leg of the Global Champions League with Artisan Farms LLC’s Christos.
There were 16 clear rounds in the 1.55m speed class from a starting line-up of 46 with Co Offaly-born Kenny stopping the clock on 65.78. Italy’s Lorenzo de Luca finished second on Soory de l’Hallali (66.11) with Colombia’s Rene Lopez placing third on Twig du Veillon (67.81).
This opening round of the League in the French capital saw three teams finish on a zero score. The St Tropez Pirates were lying first overnight on a combined time of 143.18 ahead of the Miami Celtics duo of the USA’s Jessica Springsteen (RMF Zecilie) and Co Tipperary native Shane Breen (Ipswich van de Wolfsakker) who recorded a time of 145.95. The Prague Lions are in third place on 146.07.
Although he jumped clear on Irenic Horta, Cian O’Connor’s teammate, French rider Edward Levy, had a fence down with Rebeca LS to leave Valkenswaard United sixth of the 16 teams who started. The second competition in the League takes place on Saturday and will be followed by the Longines Global Champions Tour 1.60m Grand Prix de Paris.
Earlier on Friday, Michael G. Duffy partnered Carl Hanley Sporthorses’ Chappo Chey into sixth place (29.58) in the 1.45m two-phase class won by Levy on Starlette de la Roque (28.24).
At the five-star Spruce Meadows show near Calgary in Canada, Derry’s Daniel Coyle finished third in the 1.50m speed class on Lothlorien Farm’s Farrel while older brother Jordan was second in the 1.40m speed competition with Tegan Treacy’s Colorado. Saturday’s feature class will be the two-round 1.60m ATCO Queen Elizabeth Cup.
At home, Co Donegal’s Kenneth Graham won The Underwriting Exchange national 1.40m Grand Prix in Omagh on Friday with Willie Lapsley’s George on which he had been successful in the same competition two years ago. Graham and the 16-year-old Touchdown gelding are among
