A STARTLIST of 27 combinations lined up for the Foran Equine CCI2*, with a mainly Irish contingent, it was British rider John Tilley and Grand Espoir (AES) who topped the leaderboard. A solid dressage score of 32.7 penalties saw them sit inside the top 10 heading into the jumping phases, but it was their ability to make full use of Grand Espoir’s blood in the testing cross-country conditions that proved decisive.

The pair climbed the leaderboard, with one of only two clear rounds inside the time on Saturday. Tilley and Grand Espoir came into the weekend on the back of two national wins at Frankfort Stud and Hillcrest Equestrian Centre in the weeks leading up to the event.