Hallelujah Jordan
Coyle doubles up at five-star Spruce Meadows, Kenny also victorious
Amhrán na bhFiann rang out three times at the end of five-star classes at Spruce Meadows this week, with Jordan Coyle and For Gold (above) victorious twice and also securing a runner-up finish behind compatriot Darragh Kenny.
Irish athletes took the first four positions in the West Canadian Cup in which Coyle brought up his double yesterday (Sunday), with his younger brother Daniel, who was victorious at two-star level with Daydream, his nearest challenger.
There were 27 participants in the speed class, where dropped rails converted to time, but it was Jordan Coyle and Falkirk Farm’s jumper that had the numbers on their side, stopping the clock on 81.56 to prevail by a second and a half from his sibling, riding Incredible.
Conor Swail and One Edition completed the podium, with Darragh Kenny just missing out in fourth, with Lightning.
Kenny had begun the Green Jackets’ top-flight success on Friday and it was safe to say the Offaly native slept soundly with a smile on his face that night, as he banged in a five-star victory on the day he was named in Michael Blake’s Underwriting Exchange Irish Show Jumping team for the European Championships.
As has become customary in recent weeks, it was another 1-2 for Ireland in the 1.55m Canadian Utilities Cup, as Kenny and Zero K edged out Jordan Coyle and Jorisca in a cracking jump-off by just six-hundredths of a second. Swail and Clonterm Obolensky (ISH) completed the top five.
“I was lucky that I had two in the jump-off so I got a feel for the jump-off course with (Diaroubet),” said the Oakland Stables rider.
“I’ve had Zero since December. She’s relatively new but she’s normally very, very fast. I couldn’t do some of the strides that Jordan did, so I did one more stride, but she’s quite a naturally quick horse. And I knew that after the double of verticals to the Rolex was probably where I could be quite quick and she was and I just barely beat him.
“She found the first week quite difficult here, which horses can do, and I expected that and we just kept the classes a little bit small. She got her confidence up.
“The second week, she jumped very well in the International Ring and I was very happy with her, and for her to come back this week and be as relaxed as she is and as confident as she is, is a really good sign for me.
Jordan Coyle improved a step 24 hours later, with the first of his brace of five-star triumphs on board For Gold in the Friends Of Meadows Cup. He and his trusty sidekick produced a lightning quick round the in the 1.50m jump-off to deliver by more than two seconds.
The Derry athlete was well clear of Patricio Pasquel (MEX) with Gazelle SM. Swail completed the podium as a result of his clear and fast round on Qoreen Van’T Ruytershof.
Daniel Coyle was on the brink of winning the AON Grand Prix, presented by Rolex, but after recording a second clear round in a time of 43.86 with Incredible, he had the spoils snatched from his grasp by Briton Matthew Sampson, and a horse, ironically named Daniel, who went 14 hundredths of a second faster.
Jordan Coyle secured the bronze medal with Chaccolino, and Kenny signed off another strong week with fourth on Diaroubet.
At three-star level, Philip McGuane won a two-phase class with My Lady Van De Krekel at Lake Placid in the most dramatic style on Friday, making the margin between Kenny and Coyle the same night look like a chasm. Just one-hundredth of a second separated McGuane from Beat Mandli (SUI) and Qoachella.
Closer to home, Anthony Condon won the Al Shira’aa three-star 1.55m Grand Prix at Bolesworth with Oviedo S.
Condon was top dog of 50 participants, only four of which made the jump-off but it was the Waterford pilot, who is based within ten minutes of Bolesworth, who prevailed.
“I’m on top of the world,” said Condon. Oviedo S was unbelievable today. This is his first ever Grand Prix win and it makes all the patience and time we’ve taken to produce him feel worth it.
“He’s always jumped clear at this level but lacked the speed, until now. I’m so grateful to my owners, my wife Laura and our kids. It’s a real team effort.”
Mikey Pender climbed the top step earlier in the week, seeing off British favourite John Whitaker with a stunning round on the Marion Hughes-owned-and-bred HHS Fortune, to score in the 1.45m speed class and Grand Prix Qualifier by almost two full seconds.
“I’m delighted with today’s result,” said Kildare native Pender. “It’s always a pleasure to be at Bolesworth and to have a result like this today is the icing on the cake.
“HHS Fortune is always very fast and I’m very lucky to ride such a fantastic and competitive horse. I had her out in UAE at the start of our 2025 campaign, where she went fantastically too.”
BREEDING
CLONTERM OBOLENSKY (ISH) – 2016 stallion by Cornet Obolensky (BWP) out of She Has The Lux (ISH) by Lux Z (HANN). Breeder: Brian Duff, Ashbourne, Co. Meath. Owner: Oliver Raymond Glancy. Rider: Conor Swail (IRL).
HHS FORTUNE (ISH) – 2011 mare by Catoki (HOLST) out of HHS Daisy (ISH) by ARD VDL Douglas (KWPN). Breeder and owner: Marion Hughes, Co. Kilkenny. Rider: Michael Pender (IRL).
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