Jordan Coyle was the victor in the opening leg of the Horseware/TRM National Grand Prix League at Louth County Show. Riding Ronan McLaughlin’s Colour Blue, Coyle triumphed in a 12 horse jump-off to claim the lion’s share of the €5,000 prize fund sponsored by LHK Insurance.
Drawn at the midway point of the timed decider, Coyle laid down the gauntlet for the remaining riders when stopping the clock in a fault free time of 38.18 seconds which would prove unbeatable.
Bred by Alan Robertson, Colour Blue is by Mister Blue out of a Corland dam. Colour Blue spent last season on the European circuit, campaigned by Sweden’s Annika Axelsson before moving on to Swiss rider Arthur da Silva.
A new mount for Coyle this season, the nine-year-old Colour Blue has already shown himself as a competitive performer for the northern rider despite their short partnership finishing second in the 1.45m Grand Prix at the recent two star international show at Millstreet.
Coyle has been on form already this season with a strong team of horses featuring with victories in the rounds of the Spring Tour at Cavan, Ravensdale and Portmore.
Elizabeth Power had set the original benchmark with Doonaveeragh O One before being relegated to the runner-up position by Coyle. Playing pathfinder in the clocked round, Power located the shortcuts to record a time of 38.25 with the High Roller-sired gelding.
The times proved tight at the top with only fractions separating the top three. John Floody and Ballyknock Diamond also made it across the line in under 39 seconds but proved just off the pace when logging 38.78.
2015 National Grand Prix Champion Darryl Walker showed no loss of form this season when slotting into fourth place with Cushions. A dependable mount last season, the Flex-A-Bill-sired mare broke the beams in 40.71.
Completing the top six with the only other double clears on the day were Kenneth Graham and Aoife Dooley. Graham proved the faster of the two, finishing on a zero score with Lenamore Lucy Lou in 43.23 while Dooley piloted Calgot Hero around in 46.02.
Horseware/TRM National Grand Prix League Louth County Show 23rd April 2016 Result
Sponsored by LHK Insurance
- Colour Blue Jordan Coyle 0/0/ 38.18
- Doonaveeragh O One Elizabeth Power 0/0/ 38.25
- Ballyknock Diamond John Floody 0/0/ 38.78
- Cushions Darryl Walker 0/0/ 40.71
- Lenamore Lucy Lou Kenneth Graham 0/0/ 43.23
- Calgot Hero Aoife Dooley 0/0/ 46.02