Equestrian Sport: Niall Griffin made an impressive bid for Athens selection as he finished third inthe Olympic format class at Punchestown yesterday. But main honours when to Blyth Tait, who notched up an impressive double, clinching victory in both the Olympic Games format competition and the Fáilte Ireland/IFG three-star.
The New Zealander had brought his 1996 Atlanta gold medal ride Ready Teddy to Punchestown to earn his ticket to Athens, but rather than go for a safe qualification, he led from start to finish in the three-star, while stablemate Eze provided the horsepower for his triumphant march through the Olympic format class.
Andrew Hoy, a member of Australia's gold medal team at the past three Games, held the overnight advantage in the Olympic format competition with Sue Magnier's classically bred Moonfleet after producing a stylish clear across country on Saturday. A fence down in yesterday morning's team decider kept the Australians out in front, but Hoy had no margin for error in the afternoon's individual final and, when two fences fell, Tait was elevated to the top rung and Hoy had to settle for the runner-up spot.
Ready Teddy's success means that Tait will now have the chestnut as his number one horse for Athens, with his three-star winner Eze as back-up, although the final decision will be down to the New Zealand selection panel.
The Irish selectors are remaining tight-lipped about the team for Athens, although the weekend's action has provided them with food for thought.
No announcement will be made until next Sunday, but Griffin put in a strong bid when steering the nine-year-old Lorgaine into third place in the Olympic format class. The Ballinvella gelding missed over a fortnight's work after injuring shoulder muscles at Chatsworth last month and tired visibly towards the end of Saturday's cross-country for overnight sixth.
But the chestnut bounced back yesterday and, when two of the British horses above him were withdrawn through injury and Andrew Hoy's second ride Master Monarch dropped down the order with show jumping errors, Lorgaine moved up to third with just one rail off in each of the two rounds.
Sasha Harrison, who is aiming for Olympic selection with All Love du Fenaud, slotted in behind her compatriot with Look Sharp, ahead of Australia's Wendy Schaeffer on Koyuna Sun-Glo.
Best of the Irish in the three-star was Michael Ryan, who finished 11th with Old Road, but well off the pace set by winners Tait and Eze, who led from flagfall.
On the international show jumping circuit, Army rider Lieutenant Shane Carey found the key to the winner's enclosure in Bourg en Bresse, France with the mare Laughtons Lass, but there was no joy for Peter Charles in his dream of a record-equalling fourth Hickstead Derby win.
Charles and the mare Pershing ended up eighth, just ahead of compatriot Denis Lynch and Calido, with victory going to John Whitaker after a jump-off against his 18-year-old niece Ellen. And there was disappointment too at the Swiss Nations Cup meeting in Lucerne, where the Irish team ended up equal seventh in the Samsung Super League round to remain bottom of the league table.
