19 Jul Brendan Murphy claims victory in the Mervue Equine Leinster Tour in Bannow & Rathangan
Wicklow’s Brendan Murphy cemented his place on top end of the 1.35m Mervue Equine leaderboard as he took the win in the round in Bannow and Rathangan Show last Thursday. Riding PNP Rocco, he delivered a double clear in a time of 28.62 seconds and claimed the lion’s share of the €2,000 in the Atric Tack Stud & Bannow & Rathangan Show sponsored class. Wexford Taylor Peare followed closely behind with Lissyegan Geoffrey, clocking 28.95 for the runner-up spot and with it claimed the leading young rider prize of the round. Kildare rider Nicola FitzGibbon also delivered a clear with Emily May, but in a slower time of 31.80 for third place, ahead of Vincent Byrne who was riding the eight-year-old Jackson Vive, clear in 32.64 seconds. Isabel Fitzpatrick played it safe with the Fourth of July and crossed the line in 33.32 for fifth place, ahead of Paddy O’ Donnell who answered all the questions in a time of 37.60.
In the 1.20m John Ellard Dentistry and Gavin O’Brien Farrier class, Gillian Bond recorded another victory in the league, when she delivered a clear with Vicomte DH Z in 33.50. Sarah O’ Donnell’s also came home clear with Diamond Infinity paid off, in 35.38 for second place. Little divided this line-up up as Linda Murphy came home clear in 35.78 aboard Sam Salad for third place. Accounting for eventual fourth place when clear in 37.08 was Cian Byrne and Hunters Lodge Puissance, ahead of Patrick Whelan who partnered his own Footfall, cto a clear in 37.77 for fifth place. Completing the top six line-up was Vincent Byrne and the Michael Hutchinson owned Koluno C (7 YO), who was also clear, but in a slower time of 38.02.
The 1.10m Boggan Sponsored class saw 40 combinations to go post. Brendan Murphy returned to take another win when he partnered Castlelawn Diamond Junior to a clear in 25.29. Sven Hadley took the runner-up spot, when he came home clear in 25.30 aboard the Carroll Produce owned Fabuleu Vd Watertoren, ahead of Emma O’ Connor and Quality Diamond, when she crossed the line, clear in 25.32 and along with it took the young rider prize. Slotting into fourth place was last week’s winners Laura Walsh and Ballinaguilkey Heritage, clear in 25.65, while Sarah O’ Donnell returned to take fifth place with Diamond Infinity, clear in 26.06. Local rider Maisie Adams and Jatendra accounted for sixth place when clear in 26.12.