The good form of Irish riders and horses continued in the Main Arena on Thursday as Kildare’s Mikey Pender claimed his second success of this year’s show.
Pender, partnering the Marion Hughes-owned and bred mare Irish Sport Horse HHS Fortune, won The Speed Derby for the award of the Paul Darragh Perpetual Memorial Trophy. The winning combination were two second ahead of Tyrone’s Niamh McEvoy with Aconzina PS. Trevor Breen took third spot with Gonzalo in a class where Ireland filled the first five places.
The Anglesea Stakes went to Egyptian Nayel Nassar with Coronado. Ireland’s anchor in Friday’s Longines Nations Cup of Ireland, Cian O’Connor, finished as runner-up with his World Championship mount C Vier 2.
The combination were just over half a second behind the winner in the 14-horse jump-off, where nine of the jump-off combinations were representing Ireland. Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat finished third with Albfuehren’s Maddox.
Tomorrow’s, and the week’s highlight, is the Longines Nations Cup of Ireland for the award of the Aga Khan Perpetual Trophy.
Details on Ireland’s Nations Cup team can be found here.