Ireland's Conor Swail kicked off proceedings at the Dublin Horse Show with a win in the Speed Stakes at the RDS today. On the 9-year-old Cruising mare 'Windgate's Mystique', Swail came home almost a second faster than Britain's Robert Smith on 'Gerry Maguire'.
Swail, one of Ireland's hottest new hopes, also showed France's Michel Hecart a clean pair of heels, while Irish Aga Khan team member Billy Twomey guided 'anastasia' into fourth.
Ireland's youngest Aga Khan team member Cian O'Connor (23) won the International Pairs Relay competition with Emma Smyth, while the Irish Sports Council Classic was won by France's Laurent Goffinet, with current National Grand Prix league leader Harry Marshall the highest of the Irish, in fourth with 'Splendido'.
Large crowds turned out in the sunshine for the opening day, and even bigger attendance is expected tomorrow, which sees not only a plethora of national classes, but also the Power and Speed and the Speed Derby in the main arena.
Filed by Sinéad Kissane
