Robert Splaine sets sights on Euro medal after Aga win

Ireland show jumping manager Robert Splaine clasped the Aga Khan Trophy yesterday at the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show and declared that a medal at the European Championships in a fortnight is not an unrealistic hope.

His confidence was based on the quality of the nations-cup-winning performance from his quartet of riders, Bertram Allen (Romanov), Greg Broderick (MHS Going Global), Cian O’Connor (Good Luck) and Darragh Kenny (Sans Soucis Z) and, more importantly, their mounts.

Putting the performance in perspective is that aspirations of a place on the podium at the Europeans in Aachen, Germany, have replaced hopes of merely booking a place at next year’s Olympics, but Splaine felt it was justified.