Burke’s Star continuing to shine

History-making Galwegian flourishes back in France ahead of World Cup tilt

Jessica Burke and Good Star du Bary are contenders every day they line up amongst the elite nowadays, and the first woman to win the Longines FEI World Cup leg in Bordeaux, when achieving the historic feat with her grey gelding, was in amongst the very best once more to secure a five-star silver medal back on French soil on Saturday.

Burke and her brilliant 10-year-old, owned by long-time patrons Erica and Liam Nicholas, are bound for the World Cup final at Fort Worth next month and they continued their preparations under the glass roof of the Grand Palais in Paris by beating all bar European team champion and Olympic team medallist, Pieter Devos (BEK) and Jarina Jay in the €105,500 Saut Hermès.

The class was split into two rounds with jumps set at 1.55m reserved for the top ten women and the top ten men from Friday’s Hermès Sellier Prize

Only two combinations managed double clears, illustrating the severity of the test, and the magnificence of the achievement of the Gort native and her trusty gelding, with Malin Baryard-Johnsson (SWE)  and Hennessy filling third and the likes of Julien Épaillard (FRA), Willem Greve (NED), Gilles Thomas (BEL) and Daniel Deusser (GER) completing the top seven.

The following day, James Connors Smyth won a class in the U25 category, which is such a feature off this week with 11 athletes being mentored by senior counterparts.

The Waterford native, currently based at Beerbaum Stables, navigated his mentor’s Dia Chapila PS to victory with a double clear on the nine-year-old mare, zipping around in 34.76 in the jump-off. Emily Moloney, last year’s double European champion from Warrington just outside Kilkenny city, was fourth with a double clear too on Tick A Lu (ISH), owned by her mother Miriam and uncle Richie, with the latter breeding the nine-year-old.

Derry athlete, Jordan Coyle finished fourth in the four-star speed class at Wellington International on Thursday night Irish time, steering King Kannan GP to a fast clear in 70.84 seconds over the 1.50m course. Canada’s Erynn Ballard was an easy winner of the Grand Prix qualifier, her time of 65.38 on board Coconet more than two seconds clear of runner-up Kaitlin Campbell (USA) with Cosm Hesed.

Tipperary native, Shane Breen finished in the same position in the same type of class in Gorla Minore on Friday, partnering Scarteen to a pacy clear in 69.77, with victory going the way of Swiss legend, Steve Guerdat, on Easy Star De Talma.

On the Andalucía Sunshine Tour’s seventh week, Niamh McEvoy continued her stunning consistency when guiding Keith Ennis-owned Olympic GL FVD to second in the four-star 1.55m Grand Prix on Sunday.

It was not without drama for the Omagh neophyte, as the pair had just 0.43 inside the time allowed of 80 seconds in the first round but they showed plenty of speed and accuracy in the five-strong jump-off, stopping the clock at 44.97, right on the coattails of the in-form victor Stephane de Freitas Barcha (BRA), with Chevaux Primavera Imperio Egipcio.

Jason Foley, from Carlow, also qualified for the tiebreaker with Chedington Hazy Toulana and though the pair registered eight faults, a top-five finish was a very good result.

On the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour, Clem McMahon – a member of Ireland’s 2012 Aga Khan-winning team with the aforementioned Richie Moloney – was fourth in a three-star 1.45m speed class and Grand Prix qualifier on Thursday, the Monaghan rider guiding Carneyhaugh Unison (ISH) to just outside the podium in a very promising performance at the three-star show in Oliva.

The nine-year-old was bred just outside Dungarvan in Co Waterford by Patrick Breen, who has created history recently in the racing world when riding in the same races as his daughter, Sarah.

On Sunday, another Déise man, Francis Connors was one place better with another Irish Sport Horse, the Jack Warner-bred Carrigshawn Vendi Royal, in a 1.45m two-phase competition.

BREEDING

TICK A LU (ISH) – 2017 gr mare by Luidam (KWPN) out of Tikal (KWPN) by Clinton (HOLST). Breeder: Richard Moloney. Owner: Miriam Moloney & Richard Moloney. Rider: Emily Moloney (IRL)

CARNEYHAUGH UNISON (ISH) – 2017 gr mare by Cornet Obolensky (BWP) out of Carneyhaugh Allegro (ISH) by Don Juan de la Bouverie (SBS). Breeder: Patrick Breen, Co Waterford. Owner: Hilton Farm. Rider: Clem McMahon (IRL)

CARRIGSHAWN VENDI ROYAL (ISH) – 2015 b/br mare by Dondoctrol Ryal K (KWPN) out of Carrigshawn Vendi (ISH) by ARS Vivendi (HOLST). Breeder: Jack Warner, Co Wexford. Owner: Francis, Jenny & Kate Connors. Rider: Francis Connors (IRL)

PHOTO

Jessica Burke: Saut Hermès/Christophe Tanière

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