Ireland's Billy Twomey won the €270,000 Longines Grand Prix at the five-star show in La Coruna, Spain on Saturday night riding Judith and Terry Payne's home-bred Diaghilev.
The England-based Cork native and the 13-year-old British Sport Horse gelding were one of eight combinations who got through to the second round of the 1.60m competition and one of four to leave all the fences intact in the timed round.
Twomey was home clear 38.38 seconds to take the near €90,000 first prize ahead of Italy’s Alberto Zorzi on Fair Light van’t Heike (38.64) and Austria’s Max Kuhner on board Cornet Kalua (40.28).
“Diaghilev jumped fantastic,” commented Twomey. “It was a really tough course with just eight clears in the first round and the jump-off too was big, as you could see with just five double clears in the end. We had a bit of a rub at the last fence, it was a really tall vertical - but you need a bit of luck in this game; I’m really happy. Diaghilev is such a versatile horse, he has won at all levels - Derbys and Grand Prix. I’m delighted for his owners Judith and Terry Payne - a five-star Grand Prix win is very special.”
Twomey recently made further gains on the world ranking list - moving up four places to No 44 and now has his sights set on the world’s top 30, “The aim is to get back inside the top 30 and the points gained for this win will certainly help,” he added.
Twomey and Diaghilev have been drawn 26th of 40 in Sunday afternoon's World Cup qualifier while, in Geneva, Cian O'Connor and Good Luck (16th) and Bertram Allen riding Hector van d'Abdijhoeve (28) compete in the 40 starter Rolex Grand Prix.
