Mikey Pender and Hearton du Bois Halleux, who was retired after a third Defender Puissance victory, shared with Joseph Trunkfield (GBR) and Cruze (Photos: Sportfot)
Hearton du Bois retired after third Puissance triumph
Home riders have enjoyed a bountiful time at the Dublin Horse Show to date and they added to the five-star kitty as Mikey Pender and Hearton du Bois Halleux shared the €30,000 Defender Puissance with British athlete Joe Trunkfield and Cruze in front a packed attendance at the RDS tonight.
It was a third success for Pender and Hearton du Bois Halleux, the horse he had also won a Hickstead Derby with and Pender revealed afterwards that he was retiring the 17-year-old from competitive fare, providing his venerable ally with a fitting conclusion to a stellar career.
Commandant Geoff Curran might have been expected to feature over the famous wall, having won the Puissance with Bishops Quarter (ISH) 12 months ago but that pair’s bid for a two-in-row ended in the first jump-off round.
Curran had already secured five-star honours however, leading home an Irish 1-2 in the Royal Dublin Society Stakes, joining forces with Irish Sport Horse DHF Alliance to see of Daniel Coyle and Lena VDL.
The Defender Puissance is the feature contest of the penultimate day of the Dublin Horse Show and the RDS was the scene of an electric picnic all of its own with a crackling atmosphere as nine combinations lined up for this specialist discipline.
While the wall claimed no victims in the opening round, two of the lesser obstacles did and one by one the numbers fell until there were just two remaining.
Pender and Trunkfield had the option of choosing to share the spoils after clearing the 2.15m wall at the fourth jump-off round but sportingly opted to continue providing the enraptured spectators with a show.
Unfortunately, the extra 5cm proved too much for Hearton du Bois Halleux and Cruze to clear but they were worthy victors.
It was a third triumph for Pender and his long-time partner, who also split the honours in 2018 before winning on their own in 2022.
And the Castledermot native revealed immediately afterwards that he has decided to retire the 17-year-old stallion.
“He was amazing as always,” said an emotional Pender. “For that horse to win the Puissance here three times and to win the Derby in Hickstead, it’s a very special horse. I think he gave everything this evening again so I think it’s a good moment for him to go to the field and enjoy himself after everything he’s done.
“He means everything. This is a fantastic competition and an amazing crowd and the horse is an expert at it and he makes my life easier. I’m very lucky and a big thanks to everybody.
“He’s 17. He’s not getting any younger but he’s very healthy and I wanted to retire him when he was still healthy and very able.”
DHF Alliance (ISH) and Commdt Geoff Curran at the prize-giving ceremony of the RDS Stakes
Earlier, Curran beat off a strong challenge from a quality field, and none more so that from Coyle, the Ardmore pilot who excelled making his Olympics debut in Paris a fortnight ago and has already made his mark at five-star level in the RDS on Thursday..
Almost half the field went clear in the 1.45m speed class but you need gears to win a class of this nature, and the Paul Douglas-bred nine-year-old mare Alliance possesses plenty of those, while the Fenor native on her back is not the type to back off either.
They navigated the 14 jumping efforts clear in a pacy 57.49 seconds, just under a half-second quicker than Coyle and Lena.
DHF Alliance (ISH) and Commdt Geoff Curran on the way to victory
Pender so nearly made it a clean sweep for Irish riders in the elite classes, when claiming runner-up prize money in the Dublin Stakes at the RDS this afternoon.
The Kildare native has been among the most consistent riders all week and it was no surprise he would eventually land a big five-star class on home territory having been knocking on the door in recent days.
In this afternoon’s 1.50m class, Pender was getting the leg up on Irish Sport Horse HHS Cornetta, bred by former Irish Olympian Marion Hughes and owned by the Bravo Hughes banner, and the nine-year-old grey mare was brilliant as one of only seven clear rounds from the 44 combatants.
They followed up in the jump-off with an electric clear in a time of 36.08 seconds but yesterday’s Aga Khan Cup winning hero for the United Stakes, McLain Ward was a little quicker on Contagious, stopping the clock on 35.39 to secure the primary share of the spoils.
Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, James Chawke maintained his near unbeatable form at Thunderbird Show Park since returning from a two-month injury lay-off, with another three-star success at the Canadian venue overnight.
And he did it the hard way, clocking the fastest time in the jump-off overnight on board Nacara van Berkenbroeck Z despite losing a stirrup.
The Abbeyleix pilot had scored on the double with Daido van’t Ruytershof Z last week, having been sidelined by a fractured knee and dislocated shoulder, as well as groin surgery. And after recording a runner-up finish earlier in the week with Nacara van Berkenbroeck Z, he was able to lead the latter into the winner’s enclosure following a dramatic tie-breaker.
A dozen combinations made it through to the deciding round and after having been foiled by home athlete Kate Laurie and Cera Caruso the previous day, this time, it was the turn of the Irish tandem, who stopped the clock on 30.08 to land the spoils by just over four-tenths of a second.
It was a first FEI Jumping 1.50m win for the 11-year-old gelding owned by Alison Locke, who is a friend of Chawke’s wife, Jacqueline.
Closer to home, the Global Champions League continues in London this week and Richard Howley secured a big podium result in the first of the League classes with Mansini Ltd, a tremendous result from a turnout of 42 protagonists.
The pair were 13th into the arena, which certainly didn’t prove unlucky, as they were foot perfect over the 15 jumps in a time of 61.67 seconds to secure third.
Victory in the 1.55m speed class went to David Will (GER) and Zaccorado Blue, with Olympic gold medallist Harry Charles just ahead of Howley in second, riding Chawton.
BREEDING
DHF ALLIANCE (ISH) – 2015 Mare by Ard Vdl Douglas (KWPN) out of Rosie Bee (ISH) by Lux Z (HANN). Breeder: Paul Douglas. Owner: Minister for Defence. Rider: Commandant Geoff Curran (IRL).
BISHOPS QUARTER (ISH) – 2007 stallion by OBOS Quality 004 (OLD) out of Ballydunne Beauty (ISH) by Cavalier Royale (HOLST). Breeder: Gerard Murphy, Co. Kilkenny. Owner: Minister for Defence. Rider: Cmdt Geoff Curran (IRL).
