Donegal based Kelda Morgan won her first National Grand Prix when taking the third leg of the HSI/Blue Grass Spring Tour at Cavan Equestrian Centre this afternoon.
Morgan had shown some good form throughout the year last year with Willie Lapsley's gelding and had some good results throughout the National Grand Prix League.
Thirteen combinations made it through to the jump off in today's class over Stuart Clarke's track and John Floody set a tough standard with Kings Best as the pathfinders. Floody set off like a bullet and appeared to set a very tight time when stopping the clock in 38.91 to go straight into the lead.
The following five combinations made good attempts to catch Floody's time however, each finished with a fence on the floor in their attempts, including league leader Daniel Coyle with the first of his two mounts, Lady Porschell, however, he still had Uptown Girl to go last in the class.
Eventual winner, Kelda Morgan was next to go with George and from the offset it appeared that the pair were setting a faster time. Coming inside to fence two she then had a lucky escape at the verticle, fence 4, getting in very tight to it before turning to the double and then down the final line to break the beam at 37.48 and go into the lead.
Alexander Butler was next to go with a new mount in Riverland Roi and that pair looked a formidable combination, recording at time of 39.61 in their first outing to go into third place.
James Hogg also had a fence down with Interpreter before Captain Michael Kelly and Ringwood Abbey completed a steady clear round in 43.91 to move into provisional fourth place. Tara Dunne had a fence on the ground with Titania B in 42.28 to keep her out of the places.
The last two combinations took first and second last week at Ravensdale and Sophie Dalm tried once more with Unique to post a good result and she stopped the clock in 40.59 to move into fourth place.
Last to go was the formidable partnership of Daniel Coyle and Uptown Girl, who won the opening two legs of the Spring Tour at Kildare International and Ravensdale, and he set out to make it three in a row when looking to be slightly up on the clock when getting in too tight to the fourth fence on the course and taking down the top rail. With points on offer to sixth place, Coyle kept up the gallop down to the final fence for a time of 38.61 and they slotted into sixth place and he remains out in front ahead of the next leg at Wexford Equestrian next Sunday.
Daniel Coyle stays in the lead while John Floody, who also took the runner up spot at Kildare International moves into second on 16 points with Sophie Dalm in third just ahead of Kelda Morgan who has 10 points after today's win.
The next leg of the HSI/Blue Grass Spring Tour takes place next Sunday, March 3rd, at Wexford Equestrian.
HSI/Blue Grass Spring Tour - Cavan Equestrian Centre
€2,500 kindly sponsored by Cavan Equestrian Centre
1 Kelda Morgan/George 0/0 37.48
2 John Floody/Kings Best 0/0 38.91
3 Alexander Butler/Riverland Roi 0/0 39.61
4 Sophie Dalm/Unique 0/0 40.59
5 Capt Michael Kelly/Ringwood Abbey 0/0 43.91
6 Daniel Coyle/Uptown Girl 0/4 38.61.
13 in Jump Off.
The Spring Tour is kindly supported by Horse Sport Ireland, Blue Grass Horse Feeds, The Showjumpers Club, Darragh Equestrian Solutions, Tagg Equestrian and Jumpinaction.net.