Denis Lynch and Cian O'Connor cap remarkable week for Ireland at the Dublin Horse Show
Denis Lynch and Cian O'Connor have completed a remarkable five days for Ireland at the Dublin Horse Show.
Lynch claimed runners-up spot in the curtain-closing Longines Grand Prix of Ireland, while Cian O’Connor scored his second win of the week in this morning’s Speed Stakes.
Lynch was one of two Irish riders who made it through to the nine horse jump-off in the €200,000 feature five-star Grand Prix, where he partnered the 13-year-old stallion RMF Echo.
He was drawn second last to go against the clock and came within a 10th of a second of beating Swiss rider Werner Muff who took the winners prize with Daimler.
Lynch crossed the line clear in 37.17 seconds and took home €40,000 for second place, while Muff’s clear in 37.06 saw him collect €66,000.
America’s Bezzie Madden took the third place on the podium with Coach when clear in 37.25.
Cork’s Shane Sweetnam also made it through to the jump-off with Main Road but two fences down second time out saw them finish eighth.
Just a few hours earlier, Cian O’Connor and the 12-year-old stallion Copain du Perchet CH took victory in the Speed Championship, crossing the line clear in 65.29 seconds.
It was the pair’s second five-star win at the RDS this week having also come out on top in Saturday’s Accumulator.
It was another Irish clean sweep of the podium places with Cork’s Billy Twomey finishing as runner-up with the Irish Sport Horse Ardcolum Duke – 0.15 behind the winners time.
Tipperary’s Shane Breen finished third with Can Ya Makan ahead of Swiss rider Edwin Smits in fourth with Dandiego, Co Down’s Dermott Lennon finished fifth with Vampire, while Greg Broderick (Charmeur) made it five Irish riders in the top six.
