The first Irish international event of the year gets underway this weekend at Ballindenisk in Co Cork. Organiser Peter Fell told the Irish Examiner yesterday he was confident the recent adverse weather would not affect the staging of the event.

After an injury-enforced lay-off Cian O’Connor is set for a return to jumping action this coming weekend in Germany. The Meath rider heads for Wiesbaden’s four-star meeting with his top horse Good Luck, along with Copain du Perchet and his newly-acquired Cybell.

A double clear from Wexford show jumper Bertram Allen and Izzy By Picobello ensured Valkenswaard United their third win of the season in the Global Champions League team contest in Monte Carlo yesterday.

A single error in the opening round kept Denis Lynch out of the battle for the €400,000 on offer in Saturday’s Global Champions Tour grand prix final in Abu Dhabi.