IT was an eventful cross-country day at the Agria FEI Eventing Europeans at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, with the host nation's team hopes obliterated by two eliminations through falls.

It was, however, a very successful day for Ireland and when team anchorman Ian Cassells and Millridge Atlantis (ISH) came home as the last rider of the day with just time penalties, overnight silver medal position was in the bag, and Cassells is in 10th position individually (46.2).

Team leaders from dressage, Germany, hold onto their lead on 113.8 while Switzerland hold third on 161.3 and France hold fourth overnight on 167.1.

Cassells was thrilled with his round, commenting: "There was a lot of pressure going out today; it's my first senior Europeans and being anchorman obviously you have a big role to play. There was pressure to get him home in one piece and be as quick as I could, but to get around clear for the team was important; I am delighted to have contributed.

"He was a little more eager than I anticipated. The course suited him with the forward distances but I had planned to go five in the pond to the corner and I really rode the curve but he jumped in so big, I just had to commit on the four."

Cassells added: "The individual placing is an extra bonus but we are really battling with each other for the team result."

Individual leaders

Individually, Laura Collett (GBR) and London 52 moved up from second to first place after cross country when they added just six time penalties to their dressage score of 20.6, to lie on 26.6. Dressage leader Michael Jung (GER) and Fischerchipmunk FRH had 10 time penalties, which, when added to their phenomenal first phase score of 18.3, sees them go into show jumping in second on 28.3.

Britain's Tom McEwen and JL Dublin lie in third on 33.0 after adding 6.8 time penalties to a dressage score of 26.2.

Padraig McCarthy opened Ireland's day-two tally as the eighth rider to go across Captain Mark Phillips' influential track and was the third rider to jump clear. He and Pomp N Circumstance added 16.8 time penalties to a dressage score of 35.2 to finish day two on 52 penalties for 16th individually.

“It walked a very difficult track and I looked forward to riding it," McCarthy said. "I was a little keen at the start of the first water but through the arena and out by the palace, he was so amazing, and it gave me a lot of confidence for the rest of the course.

"I think I lost the front shoe before I got to the main arena when I turned back on the box. I think the horse was ready to be much bigger, but look, I think clear rounds are important today and I’m super happy with him.”

Next to go for Ireland was individual rider Sarah Ennis who, riding Dourough Ferro Class Act (aka 'Larry'), also jumped clear adding 18 time penalties to her dressage score of 31 for 49 overnight. This saw her jump from 17th to 14th place.

“He was jumping out of his skin, I'm so incredibly proud," Ennis said. "In the warm up, I was a little bit concerned he was jumping too high and ballooning so I jumped a few fences, let him have a breather, jumped again. He was a little bit better but like, what a horse!

"You could put a two year-old on him and he’d go round that track. Honestly, you just say go here and he’s like, okay, there’s the flags. I never had to like squeeze him inside the flag. He’s just so honest. He loves it.”'

Great save

Next out for Ireland was team rider Robbie Kearns riding Chance Encounter who managed to jump around clear after recovering well from a stumble two from home. He added 19.2 time penalties to a dressage score of 33.3 for a two-day tally of 52.5 for 18th place individually.

"He was super, he is such a machine to gallop," Kearns said. "I had a very smooth ride up until that moment (the stumble at 28). I think I gave everyone a heart attack including myself but he was amazing, he has a fifth leg, it's that Irish breeding he just knows to aim for the flags and I'm just so chuffed with him."

Aoife Clark was the third team rider to go but she and Full Monty De Lacense parted ways and she ended up as the discard score. Both horse and rider were unharmed.

Susie Berry was Ireland's final individual rider and she and Clever Trick were sailing around until an unfortunate run out at fence 23, the Le Mieux wedge. Those 20 penalties plus 4.4 for time saw her finish the day on 80.7 for 34th individually.

“I mean, she was faultless," a visibly disappointed Berry said. "She was just incredible like she always is. I was up on time and it was just one mistake in a faultless round to be honest. She runs quite on her head naturally so I just let her do that. That is her. I’ve learned to ignore that but in that one instance I really needed to just take two seconds, get her head up, and let her see the fence. But she’s unaware that anything went wrong, she’s perfect."

Counting the scores of McCarthy, Kearns and Cassells, Ireland finished the day on 150.7 giving them just over a two-fence advantage over third placed Switzerland.