O’Brien take Connaught Grand Prix win on home turf
The first leg of the Sven Hadley Transport & Self Hire Connaught Grand Prix League took place at the O’Brien Family’s Galway Equestrian Centre, Athenry on Sunday 30th April.
The €3000 Peter Mark sponsored Grand Prix was the final class of the day in the main arena. Course designer Killian Clarke set a stiff test for riders with 9 combination from the 32 starters making it through to the jump off.
A faultless round in 39.64 sealed the win on home turf for Joseph O’Brien with CV Santander, an 8-year-old grey mare by Womanizer owned by Kenneth Feeney also from Galway.
Second place was taken by Raphael Lee Jnr on his uncle John Lee’s MB Daddys Dollars, an 11-year-old mare by Camiro De Haar Z.
Mayo’s Shane Goggins finished in third spot with the Thomas Mannion owned 9-year-old Defi Bigtime, a gelding by Defi Platiere.
The fastest time of the afternoon was last year’s league winner Shane Dalton, who stormed around on Brigid Byrnes Calinda in a time of 37.65, unfortunately a pole on the ground meant he had to settle for fourth place.
Fifth place went to Lee Carey on Leo and John Carey’s MT Cruise and Christopher Corcoran on his own CSF Valerie took sixth spot.
Earlier in the day the first leg of the Hygeia Connaught Development 1.15m League was won by won by Tori Dunn on the Jarlath Fahy owned Morabito in a superfast time of 29.68.
Sven Hadley on the Hadley Sport Horses owned Why Noth Fado won the opening leg of the 1.25m Eurohome.ie Step Up Connaught League.
Peter Mark Grand Prix Results:
1st: Joseph O’Brien (CV Santander) owned by Kenneth Feeney (0/0-39.64)
2nd: Raphael Lee Jnr (MB Daddys Dollars) owned by John Lee (0/0- 40.71)
3rd: Shane Goggins (Defi Bigtime) owned by Thomas Mannion (0/0- 42.91)
4th: Shane Dalton (Calinda) owned by Brigid Byrne (0/4-37.65)
5th: Lee Carey (MT Cruise) owned by Leo and John Carey (0/4-43.76)
6th: Christopher Corcoran (CSF Valerie) owned by Christopher Corcoran (0/4-48.48)
Number of Starters: 32
Number through to jump off: 9
Winning Owner: Kenneth Feeney