Source:  News Release/Colin McClelland

LYNCH IS THIRD IN SPAIN'S GLOBAL CHAMPIONS' TOUR GRAND PRIX

WITH just five through to the jump-off from a starting field of 39, it certainly looked tonight (Saturday) as if Tipperary's Denis Lynch could make it a two-in-a-row victory for Ireland in the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix at Valencia.

Cork's Billy Twomey, who won the rich Spanish prize last year, dropped out of tonight's proceedings when he had two fences down in the first round with the mare Tinka's Serenade, as did Mark McAuley and Loriot, leaving only Lynch to carry the Irish flag. 

But despite going clear for a second time with Thomas Straumann's bay gelding Abbervail van het Dingeshof, the 36 year-old could not maintain his clean sheet in the five-horse final round, lowering one pole to finish in third.

Victory and 94,000 euro in prize money went instead to Britain's zero-scoring Ben Maher and Tripple X III, with fellow Briton Michael Whitaker taking the runner-up prize of 57,000 euro on Viking, also on a zero penalty score.

Lynch, who was the only one of the remaining three in the jump-off not to incur eight faults, picked up almost 43,000 euro for his third place.

Elsewhere this evening, Shane Breen placed fifth in the Lummen Derby on board the Irish-bred KEC Alicante, yielding victory to Britain's William Funnell riding Dorada, another Irish-bred mount, while yet another Irish-bred horse, Riverside Ace, finished in tenth under Ireland's Alexander Butler.

Breen also took a seventh place at Lummen in the 1m40 jump off class with Zarnita.

BREEDING

KEC Alicante (ISH) – 1999 bay gelding by Glidawn Diamond (ID C1) out of KEC Flying Hati (ISH), by Senang Hati (TB). Bred by Cormac Kennedy, Caherwisheen, Ballyard, Tralee, Co. Kerry. Owner: Paul Gill. Rider: Shane Breen (IRL)

Riverside Ace (ISH) – 2004 chestnut mare by Hermes De Reve (SF) out of Riverside Deuce (TB), by Naheez (TB). Bred by James & Mary Whelan, Riverside, Clonmore, Edenderry, Co. Offaly. Owner: Paddy Musgrave. Rider: Alexander Butler (IRL)

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