Solid team performance helps Ireland to stunning Aachen win

IRELAND won the Aachen Nations Cup in Germany yesterday afternoon — though they had to wait until the competition’s last rider knocked the last fence to claim victory.

In one of the closest fought contests ever, the team of Robert Splaine (Coolcorron Cool Diamond), Billy Twomey

(Luidam), Peter Charles (Pershing) and Kevin Babington (Carling King) held their nerve to win by two faults after Belgium’s Ludo Philippaerts (Parco) failed at the final obstacle.