Mark Todd, who won at Saumur in April but lost his hold on the Badminton crown last month with a fence down in the show jumping, reaped the benefits of Tom Doherty's final phase mistakes yesterday to claim the Blarney Castle winner's purse with the eight-year-old New Zealand-bred Eye Spy II.
Doherty had held the overnight advantage on Saturday after cruising round the cross country on the three-quarters Irish Draught Ballyharry, but the Co Antrim jockey has been having brake problems with the gigantic bay and excess speed in yesterday's show jumping resulted in poles from two fences hitting the deck and allowing Todd through to pole position.
Vina Buller and Dark Artist, the horse she describes as her "new toy", moved up to fifth behind British duo David Herron and Lucy Wiegersma, with Mary Assheton continuing the Irish theme in sixth with the grey mare Clonasea.
Although the home side had to give best to the Kiwi challenger in the two-star section, they were not to be denied in either the one-star or the juniors. Corkman Austin O'Connor had brought the one-star trophy back to Blarney after his 12-month reign as champion, but returned to his Cornish base with the cup safely ensconced in his luggage last night after scoring an all-the-way victory with the seven-year-old Billy Whizz, at the expense of British rider John-Paul Sheffield and Nova Top.
Bandon youngster Patricia Donegan, who had led the one-star field after the first day of dressage, slotted into third with Don't Step Back, just clear of fourth-placed veteran John Watson, who took the individual silver at the world championships in Kentucky 20 years ago. Watson's Blarney ride was the mare Floating, whose sire, Cruising, won the Lucerne Grand Prix with Trevor Coyle on Saturday and then earned an extra £20,000 for a double clear in yesterday's Nations Cup when Ireland finished third.
The Blarney junior title went to 17-year-old Dubliner Davinia Anderson, who took over the ride on Sonya Rowe's talented Barnaby Blue in February. The pair were on a level score with Tom Magnier and Wanden Park after Saturday's cross country, but two show jumping errors dropped the Coolmore jockey to third behind Alex Hynds and Angel City.
Blarney Castle Two-Star - final placings: 1, New Zealand's Eye Spy II (Mark Todd), 55.20 penalties; 2, Ireland's Ballyharry (Tom Doherty), 59.40; 3, Britain's Custom Todden (David Herron), 60.20; 4, Britain's Peace Of Gold (Lucy Wiegersma), 63.20; 5, Ireland's Dark Artist (Vina Buller), 68.20; 6, Ireland's Clonasea (Mary Assheton), 72.00.
Blarney Castle One-Star: 1, Ireland's Billy Whizz (Austin O'Connor), 44.40 penalties; 2, Britain's Nova Top (John-Paul Sheffield), 47.60; 3, Ireland's Don't Step Back (Patricia Donegan), 48.00; 4, Ireland's Floating (John Watson), 50.00; 5, Ireland's Flashman K (Heidi Walsh), 51.40; 6, Britain's Kilamaze (Vicky Simpson), 55.40.
Juniors: 1, Ireland's Barnaby Blue (Davinia Anderson), 57.00 penalties; 2, Ireland's Angel City (Alex Hynds), 59.00; 3, Ireland's Wanden Park (Tom Magnier), 62.00; 4, Ireland's Sir Fagan (Steve Policky), 67.20; 5, Ireland's Shooting Star II (William Clarke), 73.60; 6, Ireland's Another Tommy (Shelley Cunningham), 82.80.
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