Splaine has eyes focused on place in Rio Olympics

Irish show jumping manager Robert Splaine remains hopeful of bagging a place at the Rio Olympics with a top-five finish today at the World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France.

Ireland finished eighth of 31 nations in yesterday’s opening round of the Nations Cup, putting the team among the top 10 that advanced to today’s second round.

Splaine was in combative mood last night. “We were under no illusions coming here. The boys have acquitted themselves well so far, and we’ll be trying our very best and will fight to the end.

“They are very motivated and, if we can produce clear rounds, we have a good chance of qualifying,” said the Corkman.

“We are up against the strongest opposition and it will be even more challenging tomorrow, as we are now down to the top 10 in the world, but we are still in with a chance.”

Splaine’s quartet found clear rounds hard to come by yesterday, with three ruing single errors as the proverbial luck of the Irish proved notable through its absence. Bertram Allen went into the contest in pole position for individual honours after Tuesday’s opening speed class, but his four faults on Molly Malone V dropped him to 14th. Darragh Kenny (Imothep) and Denis Lynch (All Star V) also added four apiece, before Cameron Hanley (Antello Z) looked to be on course for Ireland’s first clear until things came unstuck at the final line of fences, where three poles hit the ground to leave the Mayo rider on 12 faults.

By contrast, three clear rounds saw the Netherlands issue an orange alert as they moved to the top of the leaderboard, led by London Olympics silver medallist Gerco Schroder on Glock’s London NOP. The US moved into second, followed by Germany, as the home team slipped to fourth.

The French fans, however, had their hero in Patrice Delaveau, who made the crowd go wild when he jumped clear aboard Orient Express HDC.

The pair, though, lived dangerously when rattling the back rail of the Rolex green and yellow oxer at 11, but they escaped to top the individual rankings ahead of US rider Beezie Madden (Cortes C) and Sweden’s Rolf-Goran Bengtsson (Casall Ask).

Joining the top three, the home side and Ireland in today’s decider are Brazil, Canada, Sweden, Colombia and Ukraine. Among the 21 teams departing yesterday were heavy hitters Britain, Belgium, and Switzerland.

The top 30 individual competitors after today go forward to Saturday’s qualifier — tomorrow is a rest day — a field that will be reduced to just four in Sunday’s final.