Cian O’Connor edged in Great American $1 million Grand Prix

Ireland’s Cian O’Connor narrowly missed out on victory in Sunday night’s Great American $1 million Grand Prix in Ocala, Florida but still pocketed $200,000 for his efforts.

Riding the 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion Good Luck, O’Connor was one of nine through to the jump-off round from a starting field of 40 and one of just three to record a double clear over a course built by Ireland’s Alan Wade.

The USA’s Lillie Keenan, who is coached by O’Connor, was first to go against the clock and came home clear in 49.41 on board the 10-year-old Hannovarian gelding Super Sox to eventually place third. O’Connor’s time of 48.43 always looked beatable but the only one to better it, and leave all poles standing, was Columbia’s Roberto Teran who stopped the clock on 45.62 with the 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare Woklahoma.

Afterwards O’Connor said: “I’m thrilled to have finished second here tonight. I’ve been aiming this big class since January. I’ve been campaigning Good Luck very lightly since he arrived in Florida last November as I want him to peak later in the summer.

“He’s jumped in just three major Grands Prix since the beginning of the year, and has been clear in all of them, but today’s double clear round produced the biggest cheque of all.”

At the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida, Paul O’Shea and NLF Favorite finished third (38.99) in the 1.50m jump-off class behind the USA’s Kent Farrington on Gazelle (38.33) and Italy’s Lorenzo de Luca with Homer de Reve (38.61).

Ireland’s Denis Lynch riding All Star 5 goes into Monday’s concluding two-round competition of the World Cup show jumping finals in Gothenburg in equal 10th place. The Tipperary native, who finished second in Saturday’s jump-off class behind Christian Ahlmann of Germany (Taloubet Z), is 16 points adrift of the current leader in the finals, Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat (Corbinian).

After Saturday’s competition, Lynch commented: “My horse is not very quick but today I was lucky because my colleagues had fences down so I finished second. I’ve taken a long time with this horse. I’ve had him since he was six years old and he likes playing around, bucking and messing a lot, so he’s not always that easy, but we know each other really well.”

The Swedish city was also the venue for the World Cup dressage finals where Kildare-born Judy Reynolds, Ireland's first representative in the finals, finished eighth on a score of 77.339 per cent in Sunday's concluding Grand Prix freestyle. Based in Germany, the 34-year-old rode Vancouver K, a 14-year-old Jazz gelding which is owned by her parents Joe and Kathleen.

The trophy and €50,000 winner’s cheque went to The Netherlands’ Hans Peter Minderhoud riding Glock’s Flirt (82.357) ahead of the home favourite, Tinne Vilhelmson Silfven on Don Auriello (81.429). Third last year in Las Vegas, Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl again had to settle for the minor placing on Unee BB (80.464).

At Stadl Paura in Austria, Ireland’s James Connor his 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding Casino’ Royal scored 66.843 per cent to place sixth in Sunday night’s Grand Prix Special behind Germany’s Dorothee Schneider on Ullrichequine’s St Emillion (73.824).

Ireland finished third in the three-star eventing FEI Nations’ Cup in Fontainebleau, France where the all-conquering Germans claimed first place on 161.2 penalties ahead of the hosts who completed on 167.1.

Contributing to the Irish score of 197.3 were Jonty Evans with Cooley Rorkes Drift (60.7), Cathal Daniels on Rioghan Rua (67.1) and Austin O’Connor riding Kilpatrick Knight (69.5). Clare Abbott provided the discard score with Euro Prince (77.7). All four mounts are Irish Sport Horses.

Sixth after dressage, the Irish team moved up to third following Saturday’s cross-country phase which saw the elimination of 11 combinations, including Irish individuals Jayne Doherty (The Only One) and Joseph Murphy (DHI Topstory), and one retirement. There were 49 clear rounds from the 71 cross- country starters but the optimum time proved influential.

Germany’s reigning Olympic and European champion Michael Jung filled the top two places in the individual standings after show jumping on Sunday with La Biosthetique Sam (40.1) and Fischer Rocana FST (40.3) respectively while his teammate, the World Champion Sandra Auffarth, finished third on Opgun Louvo (45.9).

Evans was the best-placed Irish individual when finishing11th with Meath individual Tony Kennedy moving up from 58th after dressage to finish 23rd on 65 penalties with the one-eyed Westeria Lane.

The next leg of the FEI Nations’ Cup series takes place at Ballindenisk, Co Cork over the weekend of April 22nd to 24th.