Allen seals dream weekend for Irish in Florida

Wexford's Bertram Allen and Harley vd Bisschop took victory in Sunday’s four-star Longines FEI World Cup Grand Prix at Ocala, Florida.

A thrilling jump-off saw Allen pip Irish team-mate Daniel Coyle and Legacy who finished as runners-up, while Down’s Conor Swail consolidated his position at the top of the table with a fourth place finish aboard Vital Chance de la Roque. Eleven of the 30 starters made it through to the jump-off where Coyle took the lead with an excellent clear in 38.03 seconds aboard the Ariel Grange-owned Legacy.

Swail was second last to go with Vital Chance de la Roque and his clear in 39.14 would see him finish fourth and extend his lead at the top of the North American World Cup league table. Allen was last to go with the 15-year-old Ballywalter Stables-owned Harley vd Bisschop, and the Irish Olympian produced an outstanding clear in 37.67 to scoop the winners prize of almost €65,000. The Irish domination of the World Cup in Ocala, Florida comes on the same weekend that Michael Blake’s Irish team of Eoin McMahon, Max Wachman, Andrew Bourns and Cian O’Connor took victory in the Nations Cup at nearby Wellington in Florida.