Slattery Resumes Irish
Hold on Derby Honour
The Irish Times - Mon 27th July 1998.
By Marie-Claire Digby
Equestrian Sport: The home side kept the sole foreign challenger at bay
when Tom Slattery (Coille Mor Hill) pinned back Portugal's Miguel Bravo
(Charlton) in the £15,000 Heineken Derby at Millstreet yesterday and
secured Ireland's first victory since 1993 in this annual classic.
After a course inspection at 8.30 a.m. yesterday, the Derby was moved indoors
for the second year in succession due to waterlogged ground, and 35 went to
post before a capacity crowd in the former Eurovision arena. "I wasn't
going to jump if it had been outside; I was going to keep the horse right for
Dublin Horse Show," Slattery admitted after collecting his £5,000
winner's cheque.
The zero scores came thick and fast in the first round, with 12 winning through
to the showdown against the clock. But a twisting track, requiring accurate and
positive riding, then sorted out the field. Early favourite Marion Hughes (Flo
Jo) dropped out of contention when the mare clipped the top pole of the first
fence, but the Kilkenny rider kept the revs up to finish in 33.90 seconds, the
fastest time of the day and good enough for third place.
The first clear round of the jump-off came from Bravo, currently based in
Kilkenny, who makes an effective team with Charlton, a young horse produced by
Hughes, from whom he snatched the lead yesterday.
Any possibility of a foreign victory was held at bay, however, by a commanding
performance from Slattery and the stallion Coille Mor Hill, which the
Tynagh rider credits with having "the mind of a thoroughbred, even though
he's a draught".
Leaving little room for improvement in his circuit, Slattery crossed the finish
line a decisive nine seconds to the good, earning himself the Heineken cheque
and the Seamus Hayes memorial trophy for the leading international rider of the
meeting.
Former Aga Khan star James Kernan, who has been off the international circuit
for two years, marked his return by claiming victory in the Dairygold Boomerang
championship yesterday with the grey stallion Special K II.
Other news from Millstreet centred on the confirmation of Kerrygold, backers of
next month's Dublin Horse Show, as sponsors of the World Cup qualifier to be
staged at the Co. Cork showgrounds in November.
Heineken Derby -
1, Ireland's Coille Mor Hill (Tom Slattery);
2, Portugal's Charlton (Miguel Bravo);
3, Ireland's Flo Jo (Marion Hughes).
Dairygold Boomerang championship -
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