Irishman Paul Kennedy hailed the "amazing" Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show after claiming a brilliant win in Friday's four-star feature class.

Paul, who finished third in last year's Bolesworth Grand Prix with his home-bred Cartown Danger Mouse (Harlequin du Carel x breeding unknown), returned to the show's International Arena and once again delivered an outstanding performance.

The 1.50-metre competition, sponsored by Watts Commercial Finance, delivered a thrilling jump-off that Paul clinched by just six hundredths of a second from his fellow Irishman and Nations Cup rider Shane Breen.

A testing jump-off track challenged all combinations chasing the £7,100 top prize, and Paul did just enough to hold off Shane and Vendi Cruz (Ars Vivendi x Cruising). American rider Michael Hughes took third on Zerlin M (Caspar x Concorde), while Sweden's Jonna Ekberg was fourth with Univers du Vinnebus (Luccianno x Grenat de Grez).

Reflecting on his winning round, Paul said: "I watched Michael Hughes go, and he had a fantastic round, and I sort of knew I had to do everything to beat that."

"The only place I thought I could be quicker was to the last fence. I chanced seven strides, and it came off."

"It's a great class to win and a fantastic show to ride at. I am very thankful to Nina Barbour and the team here for putting on this amazing event, and to win here is special because it is almost a local show for me, being based just down the road."

"Cartown Danger Mouse is a home-bred horse and has been a great servant. She is a real battler and trier. She just loves her job."