Source:  News Release/Colin McClelland

Show Jumping - Two Top Tens for Ireland at First Day of Hong Kong Masters

IRISH riders produced two top ten finishes at the first day of the prestigious five-star Hong Kong Masters today (Friday), with a second place from Shane Breen and a sixth from Cameron Hanley.

Tipperary-born Breen opened the scoring for Ireland in the first of the weekend's competitions, taking the runner-up spot with the stallion Farao van T Vennehof behind France's Julien Epaillard and Cristallo A LM, with just a sixth of a second separating the two. Ireland's Mark McAuley, first to go in the class, placed tenth with Par Trois.

France took the honours again in the show's second feature, the Longines Speed Challenge, with Kevin Staut and Quismy des Vaux H D C snatching first prize in a very close contest. Mayo's Cameron Hanley and the bay gelding Newton du Haut Bois produced a faster time than Staut, but one unfortunate fence down added a two second penalty to the Irish score, which dropped Hanley to sixth overall.

The Hong Kong Masters reaches its climax on Sunday, with the Longines Grand Prix offering a massive 500,000 euro prize purse.

Hanley Best of Irish in Second Day of Hong Kong Masters

FORTY year-old Cameron Hanley proved best of the Irish in the second day (Saturday) of the hotly-contested Hong Kong Masters when taking a third place this morning in the Prix Euroasia jump-off class with Eleonore Paschoud and Yves Bouvier's 13 year-old gelding Newton du Haut Bois.

The Mayo rider was one of ten combinations through to the jump off from a starting field of 20, and though posting a clear second round, failed to catch eventual Swiss winner Martin Fuchs and PSG Future, who stopped the clock two seconds ahead of the Irishman, to claim the 8,000 euro trophy.

Later today, Hanley and Antello Z were one of four Irish combinations to challenge for the Hong Kong Jockey Club trophy, but collected eight faults in the first round. Identical penalties were also incurred by Denis Lynch and All Inclusive NRW, Mark McAuley and Par Trois and Shane Breen and Farao van T Vennehof, excluding them all from taking part in the second round.

The Hong Kong Masters reaches its climax on Sunday, with the Longines Grand Prix offering a massive 500,000 euro prize purse.

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