Darragh claims his second win in three days

PRINCESS Haya Bint al Hussein of Jordan was at the ringside to see an Irish team member, Paul Darragh, claim his second win in three days with her Australian thoroughbred, Scandal.

Having won the Dun Laoghaire Grand Prix on Monday, this new partnership beat all comers in the opening Grade A class at the Kerrygold Horse Show in Ballsbridge yesterday morning.

Scandal, a seven year old mare, had her first introduction to the show jumping arena two years ago, after an earlier career on the track, and, joined the Jordanian princess's string of horses last May.

Currently being ridden by Darragh, the princess's personal trainer, Scandal has already notched up successes at recent international engagements in Vichy, Deauville and Le Vaudreuil.

Yesterday morning just six runners found the key to the first round track for the Grade A class, and only two managed to retain their clean sheets in the jump off. Erik Holstein set the standard with Sir Michael, but with two fences on the floor finished well down the line.

Mervyn Clarke then took up the running with Shalom Superpower, winner of the corresponding class last year with his older brother Stuart in the saddle, and with four faults in 40.66 seconds this pair took a temporary lead. Olympic jockey Peter Charles also lowered a pole with Dolly, and it wasn't until Francis Connors entered the arena with Moon Leap that the first clear round of the jump off was recorded.

Paul Darragh, second last to go, attacked from the outset and Scandal's pace was used to good advantage in a daring round, which brought them home more than four seconds faster than Connors.

Irish national champion Conor Swail, last to go with Wood park, rattled both parts of the penultimate double before their allocation of luck ran out at the final upright, leaving Darragh at the head of the field and Francis Connors in the runner up slot.

There was further success for Irish team members when Trevor Coyle's Belgian bred stallion, Porsch, took the four year old show jumping class by a three point margin from Michael Hutchinson on the Master Imp gelding, Master of Moments.

Judges Anne Waistell (Ireland), Enrico Pedroni (Italy) and Bevi Hamilton (Canada) each gave their top marks to different horses in this class, judged on jumping ability and presentation, with Coyle's horse, which he bought in the Netherlands as a two year old, receiving the best average score.