IN BRIEF

DARRAGH’S DOUBLE

THE $265,000 (£189,000) Longines grand prix at the

CSI5* Nations Cup show at Ocala, Florida, USA, went to Rowan Willis (AUS) and Blue Movie — who was bred in Great Britain by Sue Welch out of Nick Skelton's great mare Showtime x Chacco Blue — while the inform Irishman Darragh Kenny notched up a winning double with Jessica Mendoza’s Horst Van De Mis Peleare and the 11-year-old gelding Cassini Z. Canada secured victory in the Nations Cup, beating Brazil with Ireland’s quartet of Daniel Coyle (Cita), Paul O’Shea (Skara Glen’s Machu Picchu), Darragh Kenny (Go Easy De Muze) and Cian O’Connor (Clenur) taking equal third with USA.

NZ TRIUMPHS

NATIONS CUP action was also taking place at the CSIO5* in Abu Dhabi, UAE, where Ireland’s Cameron Hanley (Aiyetoro), David Simpson (Keoki, double clear), Paul Kennedy (Cartown Danger Mouse) and Shane Breen (Laith) finished runnerup to the New Zealand quartet after a thrilling jump-off. NZ rider Samantha McIntosh, 42, went head-to-head with Shane Breen to clinch what they thought was New Zealand’s first ever Nations Cup victory. Also in the ribbons were GB’s Sam Hutton (Aramis) and Georgia Tame (Z7 Cordanos).

IN-FORM IRISH

AT the CSI2* Sunshine Tour in Spain, there were big tour wins for Ireland’s Richard Howley (Cruising Star), Guy Williams (Rouge De Ravel) and Matthew Sampson (DY Korette), with Jodie Hall-McAteer (Colette) and Bertram Allen (GK Casper) also in the ribbons.

BRITS AT THEIR BEST

THE Atlantic Tour in Vilamoura, Portugal, kicked off with a bonanza of British wins courtesy of Laura Renwick, with Novita Jovial Z, Arkuga and MHS Sanfrancisco in the sevenyear-olds, on Maverick in the sixyear-olds and following up with CSI3* 1.45m double success on VDL Groep Alitta. Skye Higgin took fifth in Sunday’s grand prix on Ushuaia Du Thot.