Jonathan Smyth jumped to the top of the Underwriting Exchange Grand Prix leaderboard on Saturday with his second consecutive win in just two weeks at Mullingar Equestrian.
Riding Crystal Tom, he saw off seven other combinations in a competitive jump-off. Going towards the end of the draw in the TRI Equestrian-sponsored class, he delivered the winning round of clear in 34.10 seconds, with only four double clears delivered in the eight-way jump-off.
This result put the Tyrone rider tops of the leaderboard on 28 points, eight points ahead of his closest rival, Kilkenny’s Susan Fitzpatrick, who didn’t compete in Mullingar. The consistent Smyth and the ten-year-old gelding Crystal Tom had claimed the runner-up position in Barnadown and took victory in Cavan last week
Olympian Cian O’Connor and the nine-year-old gelding Careca LS Elite took the runner-up spot in 35.54 seconds, with Cian’s student, Max Wachman, grandson of Coolmore owner John Magnier, taking third with Brooklyn De Hus in a time of 36.86 seconds.
Brendan Murphy, riding Immun Ocean Ogara crossed the line with nothing to add in 38.02 seconds for fourth place, with Kenneth Graham taking the next two places in the line-up.
On Beir Bua, he was fastest four-faulter in 38.21 seconds for fifth place, and four faults with George in 45.15 seconds, was good enough for sixth position.
