Offaly native Darragh Kenny has won the speed class in the Longines Global Champions’ Tour five star show at Antwerp.
Riding the 13 year-old Limerick Irish Sport Horse mare Belle Rock, Kenny was 13th to jump in a 26-strong field, and despite a strong challenge from Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Alsharbatly and Domngo, still had half a second in hand at the finish, to chalk up Ireland’s first victory at the show.
Speaking afterwards, Kenny said: “I’ve only had the horse for a month and though she was a little unlucky in the Global Champions’ Tour in Miami, she has a really big stride and so she’s quite fast but very, very careful.”
Kenny will compete Caroline Lloyd’s gelding Sans Soucis Z in Saturday evening’s Global Champions’ Tour Belgian Grand Prix, and will be joined by fellow Irish rider Bertram Allen, who finished third in the World Cup Final last week. Allen will be riding Quainton Stud’s gelding Quiet Easy 4.
