Tipperary’s Denis Lynch claimed Friday night’s feature class for Ireland at the French five-star show in Cannes, racing to victory after a four horse jump-off with the stallion All Star 5.

Lynch and the 13-year-old All Star 5, were last to go against the clock and knocked flying Dutchman Michael Van Der Vleuten and VDL Groep Quatro off top spot.

Bertram Allen had set the Irish off to a winning start in Cannes by finishing in a tie for first place in Thursday’s two-phase class. Allen guided Quiet Easy 4 to the exact same time as Germany’s David Will with the Cruising-sired Mic Mac Du Tillard.

In another win for Ireland on Friday, Co Down’s Dermott Lennon and the Irish Sport Horse Loughview Lou Lou galloped to victory in the Freelander Grand Prix at Luxemburg’s three-star fixture in Roeser.

Lennon and Judith Sossick’s 14-year-old mare finished with a massive four seconds to spare over German runner-up Felix Hassmann with Barolo H. Lennon and Loughview Lou Lou had finished second in the Jaguar Landrover Masters at the same venue on Thursday.

NATIONS CUP

Earlier, the Irish show jumping team finished joint ninth out of 15 teams who lined out at the five-star Nations Cup in Sopot, Poland.

Robert Splaine’s side narrowly missed out on making it through to the second round, with just one fault denying them one of the eight places on offer in the decider.

Alexander Butler and the Irish Sport Horse Hallowberry Cruz kept all the fences standing, coming home with just a single time fault in the stallion’s first five-star Nations Cup appearance.

Cameron Hanley finished with one fence down aboard the nine-year-old gelding Cas, while Jonathan Gordon and another nine-year-old, Number One, finished with one fence down and a time fault to leave Ireland on a 10 fault total.

A full-strength Ukraine team who are chasing promotion to Division 1 grabbed the winner’s trophy, ahead of Austria in second and Belgium in third.

Robert Splaine said:

“This was a very tough five-star contest with 15 teams taking part. All our horses were new to five-star Nations Cup level and didn’t disappoint. Horse inexperience comparable to other teams would have cost us and we only missed the cut for the second round by one fault. Johnathan Gordon was having his first call up on a senior Irish squad with Number One and did a very good job. Alexander Butler was excellent with Halloberry Cruz recording just one time fault and Cameron Hanley with CAS and Darragh Kenny with Global Van T Braunerthof made up the rest of the team and their experience was invaluable. I would like to thank our owners for supporting Horse Sport Ireland’s ongoing developmental campaign.”

Sopot hosted round five of the Nations Cup Europe Divison 2 league and as Ireland are a Division 1 team – they were not competing for league points.

BREEN VICTORY

Tipperary’s Shane Breen is also in action at Sopot and has a win under his belt already after landing Thursday’s Grand Prix qualifier riding Acoustik Solo du Baloubet, while Alexander Butler took third spot with Monastery Stud More Pleasure.