IRISH international Cian O’Connor returned briefly to his temporary base in Goch, Germany this week with his three horses – Good Luck, Aramis and Quidam’s Cherie – after a very successful raid on the five-star show at La Baule, France, last weekend.

The Meath-based rider and his new stallion Good Luck – watched on by his young son Ben and wife Ruth - played a major role in helping Ireland to third place in the Nations Cup competition. The pair jumped a much-needed clear round in the second round of the Nations Cup to put Ireland on a podium finish at the French show.

O’Connor also added several top placings to his results at La Baule.

Quidam’s Cherie finished second in last Saturday’s 1.50m jump-off class, beaten by just 0.7 of a second by Patrice Delaveau for the host nation.

Meanwhile Aramis finished second and fifth in the two world-ranking classes he jumped in.

The first class was a 1.45m speed class won by O’Connor’s World Equestrian Games teammate Bertram Allen and Wild Thing L (63.16). O’Connor and Aramis finished fractionally behind in 64.93.

The second placing for Aramis was fifth in a very competitive 1.45m jump-off class in which all of the top five horses finished within one second of each other.

O’Connor’s Nations Cup mount, the impressive nine-year-old bay stallion Good Luck, is owned by Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs Farm.

O’Connor coaches Stronach’s granddaughter Nikki Walker and it is on Walker that he will focus his attention this weekend as she competes under his watchful eye at the two-star show in Sentower Park, Belgium, while his own horses rest.

The Meath rider has already been named in Robert Splaine’s squad for Ireland’s next assault on the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup in St. Gallen, Switzerland on Friday, Friday, June 6th.

Ireland’s five-man squad at St. Gallen will be: Bertram Allen, Shane Breen, Greg Broderick, Darragh Kenny and Cian O’Connor. The team of four will announced by Splaine the day before the Nations Cup competition.

St. Gallen is the third of Ireland’s four point-scoring competitions in the top league of world show jumping, and will be followed by the Aga Khan Cup at Dublin Horse Show in August.

Watch Cian O’Connor and Good Luck jumping clear for Ireland during the Nations Cup at La Baule here: