Ireland clocks up another win at Hickstead

Visit www.saddletude.com for virtual coverage of the Royal International Horse Show at Hickstead, in association with Horse& Hound Online.

Refco Speed Grand Prix

The Irish run continued at Hickstead on Saturday when Dermott Lennon and his black Cavalier mare, Garronturton Lady, scored a decisive victory in the Refco Speed Grand Prix.

Michael Whitaker, still smarting from his close defeat in the earlier Lotus Eventing Grand Prix, set the standard on his double winner Virtual Village First Samuel, but Dermott made full use of his late draw to bring this scopey mare, who performs equally well in Nations Cups, home ahead by a good margin.

Osborne Refrigerators Winter Grade C Championship

Good young horses arrived in abundance for the morning’s Osborne Refrigerators Winter Grade C Championship, where no less than 16 made it through to the jump-off. Here, nine were clear again and Nottinghamshire-based Vicky Young’s galloping round on Corleon II took the honours by a fraction from John Whitaker on Jimmy Small’s impressive young stallion, Temple Croesus.

Vicky was particularly delighted with the eight-year-old Corleon, as he had spent a week at home with no work while she was at other shows.”He loves his food and he must have put about 2st on by the time he arrived here. He was so fat that I almost felt too sorry for him to jump him, but I’m glad I changed my mind now!” she said.