Text © World of Showjumping

The Irish continued their reign at the RDS as the 2023-edition of Dublin Horse Show continued on Thursday. Ireland's own Richard Howley and the 12-year-old Consulent de Prelet Z (Consulent Z x Fuego du Prelet) took the biggest win of the day when topping the CSIO5* 1.60m Cashel Palace Hotel Stakes – also counting for the Longines Ranking Group C.

With a time of 34.52 seconds, Howley and Consulent de Prelet Z were the quickest pair in a jump-off between eight horse-and-rider-combinations – taking the win ahead of his compatriot Harry Allen (IRL) and the 9-year-old Calculatus (Cachassini x Contello) in second in 36.85. "It’s fantastic to get a big win in front of the home crowd in Dublin," Howley commented to World of Showjumping. "Consulent is a fantastic horse and proving to be a real competitor at the highest level. He is a competitive horse and has a lovely forward-way of moving, so I try to use that to my advantage. I try to always keep it as tight as possible with him. He is very careful, and I can really trust him to jump the jumps when we get there, so I like to dare him as much as I can. He is a real fighter in the ring, he always tries to give his best. Today was a fast round, and thankfully, it worked out – I am very happy." 

Ioli Mytilineou (GRE) and Levis de Muze (Elvis ter Putte x Tinka's Boy) placed third in 38.00, while Denis Lynch (IRL) and Vistogrand (Fantaland x Mr Visto) finished fourth with a fence down in 34.83 followed by Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and Out Of The Blue SCF (Verdi TN x Cassini I) – yesterday's winners of the Sport Ireland Classic – in fifth with four faults in the jump-off, in a time of 36.80. 

The second CSIO5* class of the day, the 1.45m Speed Derby sponsored by Clayton Hotel Ballsbridge – counting for the Longines Ranking Group D – was also dominated by the Irish. Bertram Allen (IRL) and Carrera Denfer (Connor x For Pleasure) took the top honours with a time of 81.95 seconds, followed by Shane Breen (IRL) and Z7 Ipswich (Carembar de Muze x Quick Star) in second in 83.67 and Jack Ryan (IRL) in third in 85.30 aboard Cavalier Teaca (Glidawn Diamond x Cavalier Royale).