World Cup glory for Legacy and Daniel Coyle in Canada

A brilliant performance from Ireland's Daniel Coyle and the Ariel Grange-owned mare Legacy saw them claim victory in last night’s Longines FEI World Cup Grand Prix at Toronto in Canada, after they produced the only double clear of the five-star contest.

The 100th anniversary of Toronto's Royal Agricultural Winter Fair held special meaning for the Irish rider, as he works out of nearby Lothlorien Farm.

"That’s maybe why I was trying so hard to get something to happen, and nothing was," he said. "I couldn’t jump clear in any class, on every different horse."

But things came together for him in the event’s feature competition and the fourth leg of the 2022-2023 North American League season. Coyle and Legacy produced the only double-clear performance to claim victory over a three-horse jump-off in a winning time of 37.02 seconds. Israel's Daniel Bluman (ISR) and Gemma W finished second for the second time this season (4/39.21), with Tiffany Foster and Northern Light, representing the hosts, third (9/44.23).

"Any time I’ve went in the jump-off, Legacy can be very fast, but I haven’t done that many where I’ve been really fast and go as fast as possible. I thought, 'I’ll try to leave it a little harder for [Bluman] tonight,’ and thankfully [we] had it."

Course designer Michel Vaillancourt set a stiff first round test, with rails falling throughout the 1.60m track. Before the shortened course, Coyle received advice from fellow Irishman Conor Swail who has already secured World Cup wins this season at Sacramento and Washington. On this occasion, Swail was kept from the jump-off, finishing seventh with Count Me In.

"If it’s not me winning, I like to think I want him to win and visa versa," Coyle said of Swail, a close friend and former