Ireland’s Darragh Kerins won the Suncast Welcome jump-off at the three-star show North Carolina last night, with Richie Moloney claiming sixth place.
Sligo-born Kerins rode the French-bred Thunder D’Amaury to a double clear round in Tryon, one of five from a starting field of 27, and collected €10,000 for his win.
Kerins said afterwards of the gelding, which he’s been riding for just six months: "In the first round today everything just came up right and rode perfectly.
“I just felt with it today and he was perfect. He's only eight, but I truly believe that he's the best horse I've ever had and I've had some very special horses.
"He just has everything already at such a young age and sometimes I wonder if I'm asking too much too early, but he handles everything with such confidence."
Kilkenny’s Richie Moloney and Carrabis Z narrowly missed the jump-off as they were the only combination to collect a single time fault in their clear first round.
In Mannheim in Germany, meanwhile, Co Down’s Conor Swail rode the ten-year-old Viva Colombia to second place in the five-star Grand Prix Qualifier, picking up €6,000, while Tipperary-born Kevin Babington placed fifth with the Irish Sport Horse Mark Q. The class was won by Germany’s David Will aboard the 15 year-old Mic Mac du Tillard.
Mannheim’s Nations’ Cup will take place on Saturday, and Ireland has been drawn to jump second of eight nations competing.
