The Recon Metal Cup 1.55m served as this week's key qualifying competition for Saturday's RBC Grand Prix of Canada, presented by Rolex, drawing 46 athletes to the International Ring. In the end the Irish colored the stage with number one and two, Daniel Coyle, three Conor Swail.
Riders stepped through the iconic Clock Tower to face FEI Course Designer Olaf Petersen Jr.'s 605-metre track, featuring 13 obstacles (16 efforts), and a time allowed of 91s.
Only 12 combinations answered every question asked of the course and advanced to the jump-off.
Fresh off a victory earlier in the day, Ireland's Daniel Coyle returned to the spotlight looking for a second win—and delivered. Aboard his trusted mare Farrel (Vardento x Stakkato, breeder: VDL Stud), Coyle produced a brilliant clear round, stopping the clock in 38.63s to secure top spot on the podium.
Making the result even more impressive, Coyle also claimed second place with Urville Z (Ukato x Crown Z), while fellow Irishman Conor Swail rounded out an all-Irish podium in third. Swail completed the stage aboard Clonterm Obolensky (Cornet Obolensky x Lux Z).
“Spruce Meadows is great. You come here for the four tournaments and you stay in one place, which we don't get to do much. The horses can grow every week and you can jump a bigger class or a smaller class depending how your week is going so it's a really big thing in our schedule.” Daniel Coyle on returning to Spruce Meadows each year. “We plan to come every year, because we get to know the horses a little better before we go on tour but not only that, Spruce meadows is one of the best places in the world.”
