Lynch records first Irish win in Zurich

Altough there have been several top ten places chalked up Irish riders at the World Cup show in Zurich this weekend, it was Tipperary's Denis Lynch who recorded the first win when streaking home in tonight's speed class.

Riding Flaminia Straumann's chestnut gelding Night Train, Lynch finished with over one-and-a-half seconds in hand, denying French challenger Simon Delestre and Quiness du Mezel the 8,000 euro first prize.

Earlier today, Kildare's Niall Talbot claimed third place in the big two phase class aboard Nicos de la Cense, with Cork's Billy Twomey in seventh, riding Romanov.

Twomey was also fourth in Friday's speed class on Wings Sublieme, with Denis Lynch claiming eighth place on the stallion Contifex.

But all eyes at Zurich will be on tomorrow's World Cup class, with not only €190,000 in prize money on offer, but also a chance for Ireland to further consolidate its Olympic qualification chances.

Good results on Sunday from Twomey and Lynch, who hold the top two positions in the Olympic individual qualification rankings, would go a long way to ensuring Ireland has its slots booked for London.

However, under Olympic rules the riders and horses who secure the places for their country do not necessarily have to be the combinations representing Ireland in July, a decision that will be in the hands of Irish Team Manager Robert Splaine and ultimately the Olympic Council of Ireland.