Ireland impress but relegation still looms

IRELAND’S team manager Robert Splaine last night took only positives from yesterday’s third place in the nations cup at the Dublin Horse Show, despite the result failing to lift them from the bottom of the Samsung Super League.

Having accrued a miserly six faults, the team that featured two Aga Khan Cup debutants — Shane Breen and Cameron Hanley — failed in their aim: to finish well ahead of relegation rivals the Netherlands. Two faults separated Ireland from the Dutch, who finished runner-up to Germany.

However, Sweden’s second-last place yesterday has seen them replace the Dutch as Ireland’s main contenders for relegation and now only 2.125 points separates the two countries heading to next month’s final in Barcelona, where double points are on offer.

Splaine said the performance was very encouraging. “Consistency has been a problem, but the lads proved they can get it together over two rounds. It’s a tremendous morale boost. “Am I delighted? No, more satisfied,” said the Corkman.

Of the Scandinavians, he said: “I would not say Sweden are weak, but I believe we can overtake them, especially after today’s performance. It was heartening.”

Cashel rider Shane Breen had every reason to be delighted. The 31-year-old yesterday produced a double clear on World Cruise in his first outing in a nations cup at the RDS, having been drafted into the team this week as a replacement for Marion Hughes, whose horse Heritage Transmission was injured.

“We are all upbeat after today and, regarding talk of relegation, we were in a similar position last year and we pulled it off. I’m sure we can do it again,” he said, adding that he preferred to be fighting the Swedes rather than the Dutch for a place in next year’s league.

Ireland went into yesterday’s competition with any notion of victory sidelined by the quest to beat the Dutch.

Captain Shane Carey and Killossery looked to be giving them the perfect start and, having negotiated the bogie second last fence, the treble, looked to be home and dry.

However, anticipation got the better of the partisan crowd, who roared their approval, only for the horse to toe poke the top pole for four faults.

Shane Breen followed with the first of his two textbook clears on World Cruise.

Cian O’Connor was next in, but he had only reached the third when disappointment struck as Irish Independent Echo Beach hit the brakes. Uncharacteristic of the mare, the Meath-based rider turned her around, but, finding it hard to recover momentum, the pair went on to produce the discard of 12.

The plan was reinstated, however, when Cameron Hanley riding SIEC Hippica Kerman and produced Ireland’s second clear, to give a first round total of four, behind the Dutch and the Germans — both on zero.

Round two saw Capt Carey fulfill his first-round promise, coming home clear, but at a cost of a single time fault.

Breen had no problems with the time and then O’Connor showed he had put his first-round behind him, also finishing with what seemed to be a clear. However, it was subsequently announced that he had exceeded the time — later disputed by Splaine — to be credited with a single fault.

Hanley then entered the fray, bidding for a repeat of his first-round clear, but the sixth fence ended that ambition and he retired.

As the Dutch fought to deny the Irish, so the Germans were doing likewise with the Dutch.

Double clears from Piet Raijmakers (Van Schijndel’s Curtis) and Jeroen Dubbeldam (BMC Up and Down) had helped them finish on a total of four.

In a tense finish that went to the wire, German Heinrich Hermann Engemann, on board Aboyeur W, matched his first round clear to see his country lift the Aga Khan for the first time in 25 years on an impressive score of one fault.