IRISH riders made it three from three at the 142nd Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show this afternoon, winning the first three international show jumping competitions at the RDS.

Co Down's Dermott Lennon posted his second win in 24 hours today, winning this afternoon's Speed Derby with his horse Vampire, owned by Sandra Lennon.

It was Lennon's second victory at the show after he won Wednesday's feature event, the Irish Sports Council Classic, on Loughview Lou Lou, owned by Judith Sossick.

A delighted Dermott Lennon said he was "delighted and thrilled'' with two wins under his belt. Lennon said that the horse's recent outing at Hickstead had stood to him in terms of experience and had set him up well for his RDS win today.

"Vampire is going very well, I'm delighted, he is very fast and brave and has won three Grands Prix this year,'' said the former World Champion from Co Down.

Tipperary's Greg Broderick also got off to a great start when he won the Speed Stakes with MHS Automatic, owned by Elizabeth Shiah.

AGA KHAN

Meanwhile, Cian O'Connor said of Ireland's draw to jump first in Friday's Nations Cup: "It is not a distraction going first. All four members of our team are capable of performing well when going first. There is nowhere like Dublin on Aga Khan day for an Irish rider. It wil be the final trial as a tream before the upcoming European Championship (in Aachen), but when any of the Irish riders are in the Aga Khan, they are not thinking of anything but winning the Aga Khan as it is so special."

If O'Connor is named as one of the four-man team from Robert Splaine's squad of five for tomorrow's showdown, it will be his 100th Nations Cup for Ireland. His first was back in Zagreb in 1999 on Normandy.

The Irish squad was recently named as Greg Broderick, Bertram Allen, Cian O'Connor, Conor Swail and Darragh Kenny.