WITH the home crowd behind him, Harry Marshall pulled out all the stops and romped home as the winner of the Balmoral Grand Prix in Belfast today (Thursday).

<Splendido> did the magic for Harry at the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society's showgrounds, with a superb double clear round.

<<I am delighted,>> said Marshall afterwards, as he watched his score on the IJM TimberFrame league jump by a healthy ten points.

Stephen Smith followed Marshall on <Laraghlease Western Desert>, another double clear, but over a second too slow to catch the Ballyclare-born rider.

Delyth Collins and < Creevagh Duca Diamond> slotted into third today, but the real drama surrounded last-to-go and League leader Conor Swail, who had an uncharacteristic refusal at fence eight in the jump-off with Samuel McQuade's <Drumagoland Flight>, notching up three faults, and finishing in fourth place.

James McEvoy made a welcome appearance in the top half of the scoresheet with a fifth on <On Line>, while the formidable <Killbegs Schubert> gave James Kernan a Balmoral sixth.

Marshall's win still keeps him at third in the IJM TimberFrame League, but now with 77.5 points, and league leader Swail gained only one point, as the discipline of the 2004 rules started to bite. With four points to be added today, the Malahide-based rider was forced to drop his lowest score, which was three, giving him a gain of only one point.

Next time out, Swail will be forced to drop four points from whatever score he achieves, leaving current runner-up Shane Breen with a much better chance of closing the gap.

RESULT: 18th National Balmoral Championships Grand Prix 1m40
Sponsored by Planet Bingo
Thursday July 22, 2004
Venue: R.U.A.S. Showgrounds, Balmoral, Belfast.
Prize Money: 3000 Euro

1) Splendido (Owner Harry Marshall); Harry Marshall Faults 0/0 Time 42.48
2) Laraghlease Western Desert (Owner Robert Hancock); Stephen Smith Faults 0/0 Time 43.80
3) Creevagh Duca Diamond (Owner Ronnie Hollinger); Delyth Collins Faults 0/0 Time 50.56
4) Drumagoland Flight (Owner Samuel McQuade); Conor Swail Faults 0/3 Time 52.22
5) On Line (Owner James McEvoy); James McEvoy Faults 0/4 Time 47.84
6) Killybegs Schubert (Owner Malachy McDaniel-Stone); James Kernan Faults 0/4 Time 54.54

25 starters, eight through to jump-off

IJM TIMBERFRAME GRAND PRIX LEAGUE
Rankings after National Balmoral Championships Grand Prix
R.U.A.S. Showgrounds, Balmoral, Belfast, Thursday July 22, 2004

1) Conor Swail 117 points
2) Shane Breen 95 points
3) Harry Marshall 77.5 points
4) Peter Smyth 59 points
5) Capt. David O'Brien 58 points
6) John Floody 54 points

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