Updated at 18.00
CAMERON HANLEY AND Newton du Haut Bois led an Irish one, two, three in the opening international event of the 2014 Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show in the RDS this afternoon.
Hanley and his 13 year old gelding were the fastest of the 93 combinations in the Speed Stakes, finishing a full second ahead of compatriot Thomas Ryan on Cruise on Clover and third placed Michael Duffy and Westland Ruby.
Hanley was the 45th competitor into the arena and his blistering time of 53.97 meant he and Newton du Haut Bois were the only pair to dip under 54 seconds for the 11 fence course.
Just .21 of a second separated Ryan (55.14) and Duffy (55.35) in second and third while Ireland’s Shane Breen and Robert Vos of the Netherlands shared fourth spot.
Jessica Springsteen, daughter of Bruce, was initially second after clocking 56.16 but eventually had to settle for sixth place aboard Davendy S.
The 22-year old had even less success in this afternoon’s €24,000 Irish Sports Council Classic, finishing 26th after knocking a fence in her opening round and failing to make the jump-off.
The event was won by Ireland’s Darragh Kenny aboard Picolo. The pair were one of just six combinations to post double-clear rounds in the afternoon’s marquee event.
Their jump-off time of 35.22 was well clear of Britain’s Ben Maher and Aristo Z (36.12) and the Swedish pair of Henrik von Eckermann and For Sale 6 (36.40) to make it a clean sweep for Irish jumpers in the international classes on day one.
HEADLINE: “Ger Brennan hasn’t played in the championship since 2013 and that won’t change any time soon”
ARTICLE: “He should be back soon, very soon.”