BREEN MAKES IT AN IRISH DOUBLE WITH WIN AT BIRMINGHAM

FOLLOWING Billy Twomey’s earlier victory today (Friday) with Royale du Rouet, Tipperary’s Trevor Breen made it an Irish double at Britain’s Horse of the Year show tonight with Karen Swann’s one-eyed Adventure de Kannan.

Competing in the big two-round feature class, Breen was one of 11 combinations to go clear in the first round from a starting field of 31, but second time out put his foot to the floor to streak home almost two and a half seconds ahead of the nearest British challenger, England’s legendary show jumper John Whitaker on board the bay stallion Argento.

Breen, who picked up almost 9,000 euro for his decisive win, also saw fellow Irish rider Bertram Allen finish in tenth place. Nineteen year-old Allen was the fastest of the first round clears with Billy Twomey’s Romanov, but faltered on his second attempt to pick up four faults.

Adventure de Kannan lost an eye to surgery in 2013 following a five year-old eye condition that had suddenly worsened, but has been competing successfully since the operation, once again showing his mettle at Birmingham tonight.