IRELAND'S Francis Connors, who has been runner up in the Derby at Millstreet International Horse Show on five occasions, scored his second victory of the current fixture when taking the Waterford Crystal Derby Trial at the Co Cork showgrounds yesterday afternoon.
Both Connors and Marion Hughes had two rides apiece through to the 12 horse jump off, which despite the heavy and holding going developed into a blistering battle against the clock.
The Irish national champion, Conor Swail, opened the batting with a clear in 45.03 on Lisna Tutor, and held off Marion Hughes (Carnival Bouncer), who was a tantalising one hundredth of a second off the pace, and Francis Connors, who clocked 45.37 with Thursday's winner, Diamond Explosion.
But Connors came back with determination for a second cut at Swail's target, and this time Elaine Quinn's Moon Leap, provided the turn of foot required to skim rough the mud and crossed the finish in the winning time of 44.32.
Robert Splaine laid the foundations for the Irish whitewash at Millstreet yesterday when he claimed the opening class of the day, the Calor Gas speed stakes, with the Clover Hill stallion, Convent Hill Diamond.
Having already been a winner at the Nations Cup fixture at Hickstead in June, this big striding stallion has an obvious preference for a galloping track, and although his rider expressed some reservations about yesterday's ground conditions they were home clear in the winning time of 58.35.
Conor Swail and Woodpark were two seconds off this pace, with this deficit keeping Swail pinned back in second place on what was to be the first of two occasions yesterday.
With three blue ribbons to his credit from the first four competitions at Millstreet, the Crossgart jockey will be determined to graduate to the winner's enclosure over, the weekend.
At the Rotterdam Nations Cup show in Holland today an Irish team comprising of Eddie Macken, Peter Charles, Trevor Coyle and Paul Darragh will line out for team contest.
The best result from the Irish contingent in Rotterdam yesterday was Paul Darragh's fifth with Cera. Britain's Michael Whitaker continued to feature with the Irish bred stallion, IJM Touchdown, adding a third placing to the three second placings he has earned from just five starts since taking over the ride from the injured James Kernan.
. Jus De Pomme the horse that provided Germany's Ulrich Kirchhoff with double Olympic gold in the show jumping in Atlanta at the beginning of the month, died in a German veterinary clinic yesterday.
The gelding, which clinched the individual Olympic title for Kirchhoff with the only double clear on the final day, was suffering from an intestinal blockage. Despite rapid veterinary attention at the clinic, the horse could not be saved.
