Tipperary's Shane Breen claimed Ireland's first win of the weekend at Austria's big four-star show in Salzburg on Saturday.
Piloting his new 11-year-old gelding Undicci, formerly owned by top Swedish rider Malin Baryard and campaigned by Mathijs van Asten of the Netherlands, the Irish rider set an unbeatable time when 15th to jump in the 35-strong starting list.
Only France's Olivier Robert came close, when he stopped the clock three-quarters of a second outside Breen's time to collect the runner-up prize of €4,900. Breen pocketed €6,125 for his victory in the Grand Prix qualifier.
Fellow Tipperary rider Denis Lynch also claimed a runner-up prize at Salzburg, riding Blue Silver in Friday's afternoon's speed competition, and losing out to the faster time of Germany's Hans-Dieter Dreher and Pacavello. Shane Breen took a fifth place in the competition on the In Showjumpers Ltd - owned Undicci.
on Friday night at the five-star show in Paris, Wexford's Bertram Allen was best of the Irish in the Longines Speed Challenge, finishing seventh on Quiet Easy. The class was won by Belgium's Gregory Wathelet and Egano van het Slogenhof.
At the two-star show at Opglabbeek in Belgium last night, Meath's Cian O'Connor took victory in the Grand Prix qualifier with his new horse Crespo PKZ, while second place also went to Ireland, with Jack Dodd just under two seconds behind on Wrangler II.
