First international win for Gallagher

Irish riders are in flying form at home and abroad while Ben Maher claims an impressive double

- SARAH RADFORD

Chard Equestrian, Somerset

IRISHMAN Eoin Gallagher claimed a first international win for the Oakingham Stud after setting a tenacious early lead with the clean-jumping stallion Faltic HB to head the CSI2* big tour grand prix.

Paul Connor’s jump-off track had delivered 20 contenders, and the Irish rapidly showed themselves as the riders to beat.

Trevor Breen and Germaine W opened proceedings with a strong pathfinding round that was immediately overturned by his brother Shane. He delivered a serious target with the Zambesi x Germus R 10-year-old Gait L, who already had a victory in the first day’s 1.40m on his card.

But Shane’s lead was also short-lived when Eoin, who followed him into the ring with the Baltic VDL 11-year-old, snatched a 0.65sec advantage.

The fiercely fought second phase – where a little over one second divided the eventual top six competitors – wasn’t quite an early conclusion and Shane slipped a place down the rankings when William Whitaker edged within 0.08sec of the lead with Philip Tuckwell’s home-bred 11-year-old Galtur.

“I usually try to go fast by being smooth, but I knew I’d have to do more to win,” said Eoin, who had already shown his form with the runner-up spot in Saturdays’ big tour class, as well as taking a 1.40m win on his opening run at Keysoe a few weeks earlier.