Kenny does Travolta with Grease Lightning

Duffy also in winning form while Moore bags $40k podium finish

Darragh Kenny certainly enjoyed his trip to New York last week, securing two four-star successes at Old Salem Farm.

Kenny had already won the two-phase challenge on Serendepety on Thursday night, and picked up some fifth-place prize money in the same class on Chaccoletto, when making it a quick-fire double 24 hours later.

And he did so on the highly-promising, appropriately named Lightning, the pair speeding to success in another two-phase class at the International Arena.

The Offaly native and his eight-year-old mare recorded a double clear in a blistering time of 34 seconds flat to claim the spoils.

“I’m not quite sure how I did it,” Kenny said. “She’s a very quick horse, and we did similar numbers and turns as (runner-up) Sydney (Shulman Desiderio), whose horse is also very fast. I think in the end, it was just one of those things where it worked out for me today, and it would work out for Sydney tomorrow.

“My mare was very good,” the Oakland Stables boss added. “She’s only eight years old, and I’m very happy with her. I think she’s going to be a very good horse for the future.”

The Tokyo Olympian would later get the leg-up on Chaccoletto to claim fourth-place prize money in the four-star 1.50m Welcome Stakes, with fellow Irishman, Simon McCarthy from Cork, who had also topped the podium in a two-star international class on Thursday, finishing runner-up on Narcotique v/h Dingenshof.

Kenny finished the week by making a jump-off with a very distinct Irish hue for the $200,000 four-star Blue Diamond Cup on Sunday and securing fourth.

Stephen Moore was the leading Irish rider however, as the Claregalway man partnered Colibelle Hero Z to the silver medal position.

The winner was none other than Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA), who was chef d’equipe when Ireland won the European Championships in 2017. Pessoa and Starman were quickest in the tie-breaker with a clear round in 34.03 seconds.

Only four made it through the initial 1.50m course built by Ken Krome (USA). Kenny and Rockstar had two obstacles down but it proved a very fruitful week for the team.

Moore followed Pessoa into the Old Salem International Arena and registered a brilliant clear with his nine-year-old Vlock Show Stables-owned mare. That was enough to grab second and a juicy cheque of $40,000 that went with it.

Baloys PS and Michael Duffy in Peelbergen (Sportfot)

Elsewhere, there was a very definitive victory for Michael Duffy at Peelbergen Equestrian Centre against 49 other rivals on Friday.

The Turloughmore athlete partnered Baloys PS in the two-star 1.45m speed class. Owned by Gibbs International, the nine-year-old stallion is a new conveyance for Duffy but they have clearly clicked, for they had far too many gears for the opposition, stopping the clock on 54.50 seconds after a clear round. That was more than four seconds faster than the time registered by runner-up Guillaume Foutrier (FRA) and Corneska de La Falize Z.