IRELAND's five runners at Badminton all passed the first horse inspection yesterday afternoon with flying colours, much to the relief of Irish chef d'equipe Helen O'Keeffe who must still suffer recurring nightmares after watching two of her four-strong team failing the final trot-up in Atlanta

Alfie Buller's Sir Knight, which had jumped clear on his Badminton debut last year, went on to produce a foot-perfect cross-country round at the Olympics, only to pull out lame the next morning. Eric Smiley's Enterprise, which had two run-outs in Atlanta, was also sore and when both horses were withdrawn on veterinary advice, the possibility of a team bronze vanished in an instant.

Sir Knight and Enterprise are joined by their Olympic compatriots Duneight Carnival (David Foster) and The Yellow Earl (Virginia McGrath) at Badminton to contest the Mitsubishi Motors trophy and the squad has been boosted by the addition of Welton Molecule, the horse bought for European champion Lucy Thompson to ride after it finished 16th at Badminton with former owner Vicky Collins last spring.

Hampshire-based Thompson had the option of riding Welton Romance, the mare that gave her an all-the-way victory in the open European championships in 1985. Romance's main aim for this year is the defence of her title at Burghley in September and Thompson will probably run Romance at Punchestown next week, preferring to work on her partnership with Molecule at Badminton.

Thompson is now almost fully recovered from the after-effects of a nasty cross-country fall that left her with a considerable amount of back pain. And she will need to be in full possession of her faculties when riding the strong pulling Molecule across country on Saturday.

David Foster, who rode his Olympic horse Duneight Carnival at Badminton two years ago, believes that the 31-fence cross-country is stronger than ever. He does concede, however, that the Lake is probably easier than when he had a stop there in 1995.

There was a shock in store for the British at yesterday's horse inspection when Karen Dixon's veteran campaigner Get Smart was withdrawn, leaving, the Durham jockey with only his less experienced stablemate Too Smart.