Ireland underlined their European gold medal form at Hickstead's Royal International Horse Show yesterday with a well-deserved victory in the Samsung Nations Cup for the second year running.

It was Ireland's fourth team success of the season but Britain trailed into a lowly fifth place from seven nations.

Michael Whitaker, who earlier scored his second win of the meeting on Virtual Village First Samuel, was the only British rider of the home quartet to jump a clear round. His inspired handling of Prince of Wales at the end of the second circuit at least ensured Britain outstripped Italy.

British team manager Michael Bullman, commenting on the showing by Di Lampard on Abbervail Dream, Mark Armstrong on Elise, Scott Smith on Cabri d'Elle and Whitaker, said: "It was very disappointing and there are no excuses. You cannot win Nations Cups unless you jump clear rounds." Bullman added: "There is nothing wrong with our riders but we are suffering from an acute lack of horsepower.

"You could say we are in a deep lull at the moment and it will be a couple of years before we get out of this."

Ireland had clear rounds from Peter Charles on Traxdata Corrada, Kevin Babington on Carling King and Dermot Lennon on Liscalgot to beat off a determined challenge by Germany.

Their double clear from Heinrich-Wilhelm Johannsman and Graishuter, the only one of the contest, was just not enough and his side lost by a one fence margin.

Britain has won its own Nations Cup 16 times in the past 30 years but has endured a drought since 1997 when they completed a hat-trick of wins.

Nations Cup for The Prince of Wales Trophy

1 - Ireland 12 flts (P Charles on Traxdata Corrida,0&4) (C O'Connor on Waterford Crystal,4&8) (K Babington on Carling King,16&0) (D Lennon on Liscalgot, 4&0).

2 - Germany 16 flts. (A Pollmann-Schweckhorst on Aperio,8&4) (H W Johannsmann on Graishuter,0&0) (O Becker on Lando,12&8) (R Tebbel on Stiegelmaier's Radiator,0&4).

3 - Holland 24 (8&16).

4 - USA 24(8&16).

5 - Britain 36 flts, (D Lampard on Abbervail Dream, 12&20) (M Armstrong on Elise,8&4) (S Smith on Cabri d'Elle, 4&8) (M Whitaker on Virtual Village Prince of Wales,12&0).

Nations Cup series: 1 Germany 61, 2 Italy 51, 3 Ireland 43, 4 Belgium 41, 9 Britain 18. Osborne Refrigerators Stakes. 1 Virtual Village First Samuel (M Whitaker, Britain) 0 in 74.55 secs, 2 Traxdata Parcival (T.Stockdale, Gbr) 0 in 76.59, 3 Potsdam (H W Johannsmann, Ger) 0 in 77.14, 6 Virtual Village Welham (J Whitaker, Gbr) 0 in 81.98