Slattery resumes Irish hold on Derby honour

The home side kept the sole foreign challenger at bay when Tom Slattery (Coille Mor Hill) pinned back Portugal's Miguel Bravo (Charlton) in the £15,000 Heineken Derby at Millstreet yesterday and secured Ireland's first victory since 1993 in this annual classic.

After a course inspection at 8.30 a.m. yesterday, the Derby was moved indoors for the second year in succession due to waterlogged ground, and 35 went to post before a capacity crowd in the former Eurovision arena. "I wasn't going to jump if it had been outside; I was going to keep the horse right for Dublin Horse Show," Slattery admitted after collecting his £5,000 winner's cheque.

The zero scores came thick and fast in the first round, with 12 winning through to the showdown against the clock. But a twisting track, requiring accurate and positive riding, then sorted out the field. Early favourite Marion Hughes (Flo Jo) dropped out of contention when the mare clipped the top pole of the first fence, but the Kilkenny rider kept the revs up to finish in 33.90 seconds, the fastest time of the day and good enough for third place.

The first clear round of the jump-off came from Bravo, currently based in Kilkenny, who makes an effective team with Charlton, a young horse produced by Hughes, from whom he snatched the lead yesterday.

Any possibility of a foreign victory was held at bay, however, by a commanding performance from Slattery and the stallion Coille Mor Hill, which the Tynagh rider credits with having "the mind of a thoroughbred, even though he's a draught".

Leaving little room for improvement in his circuit, Slattery crossed the finish line a decisive nine seconds to the good, earning himself the Heineken cheque and the Seamus Hayes memorial trophy for the leading international rider of the meeting.

Former Aga Khan star James Kernan, who has been off the international circuit for two years, marked his return by claiming victory in the Dairygold Boomerang championship yesterday with the grey stallion Special K II.

Other news from Millstreet centred on the confirmation of Kerrygold, backers of next month's Dublin Horse Show, as sponsors of the World Cup qualifier to be staged at the Co. Cork showgrounds in November.