Alex Hynds, who campaigned Angel City at the European young rider championships at Necarne Castle last year, heads the one-star field at Blarney going into today's dressage. But there has been a fairly substantial shuffling of the placings beneath him, with Thursday's runners-up, Jane O'Flynn and Rioja, relegated to fifth during yesterday's action.

Kevin Smyth, recently relocated to Co Mayo, has slotted into second with the dappled grey Meeng Rule which Valeska Kroeger rode to victory in the Loughanmore juniors 18 months ago. Smyth holds the slimmest advantage over Tattersalls executive George Mernagh, who is a mere .2 of a penalty adrift with his own horse The Brief.

The 26 junior runners all performed their dressage tests yesterday, with 16-year-old Elizabeth Power opening with a supremely confident test on the six-year-old Cavalier mare Pasadena Lass that left her in joint-second at the close of play. The Co Meath rider, who picked up individual and team bronze at last year's European pony championships, then rode the winning test with her other mare Quick Thinking, but has withdrawn Pasadena Lass from today's cross-country after the horse got a knock on her near hind leg.

Co Dubliner Ciaran Glynn, who slid from overnight second to fifth at Punchestown less than a fortnight ago when Horseware Halcyon Days hit two fences in the show jumping, was level pegging with Pasadena Lass, but now has sole rights to second place with Sportsfield Dazzle ahead of Tina Connolly and the 13-year-old grey Killian.

The cross-country gets underway at shortly after 10.0 this morning when Bantry-based Heinz Wehrli opens the one-star action with In The Pink. The juniors are next out at 2.40 p.m. with the two-star runners getting out on the course at just after 4.0.