Sasha Harrison, best of the Irish at the Punchestown three-day event and leading hope for the Olympic team, is out of the Games following injury to her horse, All Love Du Fenaud.

The 12-year-old French-bred gelding, which so nearly claimed the IFG honours at Punchestown only to drop to third in the show jumping, has slight tendon damage and was withdrawn from quarantine yesterday.

It is expected that Susan Shortt, who had been named as number five on the original squad, will now be drafted onto the team with George Durrheim's mare Joy Of My Heart, to join Virginia McGrath (The Yellow Earl), Patricia Donegan (Don't Step Back) and Nicola Cassidy (Mr Mullins). Austin O'Connor (Horseware Fabio) and Trevor Smith (High Scope) are the two Irish runners for the individual competition, which takes place immediately after the teams.