Derry native, Daniel Coyle proved to be the popular winner of Saturday’s TRM/Horseware Premier Series Grand Prix held at Omagh County Show. Riding John Carr’s 11-year old stallion Zuidam, Coyle was one of only two riders that finished on zero penalties to claim the €10,000 prize fund in the Silverbirch Hotel and Dillon Bass/ Powers Whiskey sponsored class.

Coyle said; “As I had no points on the leaderboard, my aim was to finish in the top placings. No one had lodged a double clear before me, so I knew that if I had four faults I needed to be a lot faster to move up the placings. I was conscious that there was two riders coming after me with no faults from the first round and I wanted to put the pressure on them. The horse is only really returning to good form, so the plan is to hopefully record some more good results in the Premier and finish on the top end of the leaderboard”

Zuidam an 11-year-old stallion by Guidam and out of Our Mexico has proved to be a consistent mount for Coyle with a series of good results. In May the combination headed the line-up in the TRM/Horseware Grand Prix in Cavan. The combination was also narrowly defeated in the National Grand Prix in Louth County show.

As expected there was a good turnout for the third round of the Series, with 38 riders going to post over the Tom Holden designed course. With riders facing a tough track, only three of those were on zero faults going into the second round, while four carried four faulters and one had a single time fault.

First to go in the jump-off and carrying four faults was Lt David Power and Dollanstown. Although the pairing made no mistakes in the second round, a cautious round saw them finish just outside the top six.

Emily Turkington and Willem were also carrying four faults from the first round but like Power she added no further penalties to her final score but finished outside the top six.

Thomas O’ Brien wasted no time with Hector Van D’abdijhoeve. With all the poles staying in place a fast time of 42.74 seconds was enough for O’Brien to take the lead and later eventual fourth.

Last to go of the four faulters was Peter Moloney and Ribanbelle Tame. Similar to O’Brien, Moloney improved on form and delivered a foot perfect round in 43.45 seconds for sixth.

Kildare’s Edward Doyle uncharastically incurred a single time fault aboard Mullaghdrin Touch The Stars in the first round, but he made no such mistake second time out as he left everything in place in a time 52.04 to take the lead from O’ Brien.

Using the late draw to his advantage, Coyle didn’t hang about with Zuidam. A blistering pace saw the pairing lower the target by over 12 seconds when crossing the line in 40.42.

Keen to maintain his clean sheet, Kilkenny native Vincent Byrne played it safe with Hannibal V Overis Z and it paid off as he lodged another clear in 49.73 seconds for second place and in the process demoted Doyle into third.

Last to go only John McLaughlin and Java’s Wild Child could change the standings. Despite a good effort four faults just towards the end of the course in 42.88 meant that he finished down the line in place fifth.

TRM/Horseware Premier Series Grand Prix Omagh Show 4th July 2015 result:

Sponsored by: Silverbirch Hotel and Dillon Bass/ Powers Whiskey.

1st Zuidam/D Coyle 0/0/40.42
2nd Hannibal V Overisz/V Byrne 0/0/49.73
3rd Mullaghdrin Touch The Stars/E Doyle 1/0/52.04
4th Hector Van D’Abidighoeve/ T OBrien 4/0/42.74
5th Javas Wild Child/J McLaughlin 0/4/42.88
6th Ribanbelle Tame/P Moloney 4/0/43.45