Despite thunderstorms during part of the first round and most of the jump-off, Tipperary’s Greg Broderick with his gelding MHS Going Global held their nerve to claim a fourth place in tonight’s feature class at Spruce Meadows in Canada.

The 1m60 Cana Cup saw 58 international starters but just eight made it through to the jump-off, with time faults catching out some of the top names in the first round on the notoriously tight allowance that is a Spruce Meadows signature.

The Irish duo jumped a very composed double clear despite the weather and time handicaps, briefly holding second place in the jump-off, but then saw second-last man in, France’s Roger Yves Bost with Quod’Coeur De La Loge, capture the trophy on a time of 41.24 seconds, shaving almost a second off the previous leading rider, Spain’s Sergio Alvarez Moya and Arrayan.

The final combination tonight was Frank Shuttert from the Netherlands and Winchester WS, who almost caught Bost, but the clock ticked on to 41.54 for a second place finish, leaving Moya in third with Broderick fourth.

Ireland’s other entry for the Cana Cup, Cian O’Connor and Good Luck, also found the time allowed no problem, but took down one rail in the first round for four faults.

Both Irish competitors are now amongst the top 25 riders whose performances in the last two major classes put them amongst the qualifiers for Sunday’s eagerly-anticipated $2m Spruce Meadows Grand Prix, where the winner will take home 450,000 euro.

CANA CUP 1m60
1. Quod’Coeur De La Loge/Roger-Yves Bost (FRA) 0/0 41.24
2. Winchester WS/ Frank Shuttert (NED) 0/0 41.54
3. Arrayan/Sergio Alvarez Moya (ESP) 0/0 42.02
4. MHS Going Global/Greg Broderick (IRL) 0/0 43.65
5. Audis Teavanta II C Z/Ruben Romp (NED) 0/0 44.27

Jack Burns