30 Aug Pender takes the final and Connors takes title
Last Friday, the Premier Performance Grand Prix brought the curtain down in thrilling style at the Irish Breeders Classic, with Mikey Pender claiming the final round victory while Francis Connors lifted the overall title.
Run in The Irish Horse Board grass arena, the class drew a strong field of 87 starters, all chasing the winner’s share of the €4,000 prize fund. From the opening round, 18 riders produced faultless performances, with 13 combinations eventually advancing to the deciding jump-off.
The first to set the standard was Orla Queally aboard Gentleman-Time. Third into the arena, Queally delivered a polished round, combining forward pace with sharp, accurate turns—particularly back to the double. Their clear in 42.53 seconds held the lead for much of the class and was ultimately enough to secure fourth place.
James Derwin and Quinci Quality were next to record a double clear, producing a careful yet steady round in 44.21 seconds, which earned them sixth.
All attention then turned to Mikey Pender, who entered with HHS Fortune. True to form, Pender set off at a blistering pace. Despite a few playful bucks from his mount, he executed a daring inside line to the oxer at 15, maintained rhythm through the double, and then sliced tightly to 16 before launching into a bold gallop to the final oxer. The crowd erupted as the pair stopped the clock in 39.95 seconds, securing the win in emphatic fashion.
Young rider Jenny Dunlop and Gidion B also impressed, keeping all the poles standing to finish fifth in 42.68 seconds.
Paul Beecher and Glamstone looked threatening after a sharp rollback to fence 15, but their clear in 41.15 was just shy of Pender’s pace and had to settle for runner-up.
Meanwhile, Second Lieutenant Raphael Lee produced his best finish of the weekend with Killossery Kilshane. The pair delivered a stylish clear in 41.71 to take third place. The nine-year-old mare, bred by Frank and Laura Glynn, is by Peppermill out of the Cruising mare Killossery Kruisette—bloodlines that showed both scope and agility under pressure.