AN amazing performance from Tipperary’s Denis Lynch and the 13-year-old gelding ‘Brooklyn Heights’ saw them claim a historic win in Sunday’s hugely prestigious €450,000 Rolex Grand Prix of Rome at the Piazza Di Siena in Italy.
Denis Lynch becomes the first Irish rider to win the Rome Grand Prix on two occasions. Lynch himself was the last Irish winner of the Rome Grand Prix with the great ‘Lantinus’ in 2008. The only other Irish winners of one of the most famous trophies in world Show Jumping being Eddie Macken with ‘Boomerang’ in 1978, William Ringrose with ‘Loch an Easpaig’ in 1961 and John Lewis with ‘Limerick Lace’ in 1938.
Lynch and ‘Brooklyn Heights’, who is owned by Molly Ohrstrom, were one of 13 combinations to make it into the second round. They had the fastest time in the first round, which gave them the best draw as last to go against the clock. German rider Jana Wargers and ‘Limbridge’ had set a target of clear in 43.19 seconds and many of the top combinations that followed failed to beat their time. However, Lynch and ‘Brooklyn Heights’ produced an outstanding round as the final combination and crossed the line clear in 42.52 to claim the winner’s trophy and a first prize of €112,500.
Wargers and ‘Limbridge’ finished as runners-up, while Italy’s Piergiorgio Bucci and ‘Cochello’ took third place on the podium to the delight of the watching Italian fans.
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