BRUCE DAVIDSON, the American who made his first appearance at the Punchestown three day event 16 years ago, returned to the Co Kildare racetrack this weekend to claim the winner's cheque from Nissan and the Freeman Jackson trophy after sealing his all the way victory with a masterly clear in yesterday afternoon's show jumping.
Just as at Badminton the previous week, when Davidson's compatriot David O'Connor had claimed the honours, the final test over the coloured poles developed into a nail biting decider, with errors being harshly penalised. But Davidson is no stranger to pressure and, with no room for even a semblance of a mistake, Davidson ignored the distraction of a fly past by two Air Corps jets mid round to conjure up a superlative clear from the 12 year old Kentucky bred gelding, Squelch, that guaranteed his victory.
British rider Pippa Funnell, who rode the delightful Irish bred Bits And Pieces into ninth place at Badminton, held onto the runner up spot with a faultless round in a case of fourth time lucky after falls on all three of her previous Punchestown outings.
But fellow Briton Mary King, winner here two years ago with Star Appeal, dropped to sixth when King William kicked out two fences to allow David O'Connor up into third with the Glen bar gelding Giltedge, which was campaigned on the Irish circuit by Eric Smiley before being sold to the American. O'Connor's wife Karen, winner at Lexington three weeks ago, was eighth with the talented Prince Panache.
Jane O'Flynn, best of the Irish after a supremely confident crosscountry clear with the Sea Crest mare Ladakha on Saturday, also slid down the placings with two mistakes yesterday afternoon to finish 12th, while young rider Emma Harrington, who showjumped out of order to fulfil an appointment in the exam hall yesterday afternoon, galloped up the placings from 65th to 16th, clear of penalties in both jumping phases. Details Sports Roundup.
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