The Irish showjumping team continued its triumphant roll yesterday, thundering to victory in a nailbiting finish to the Kerrygold Nations Cup that left the home side three faults clear of the British and now even further ahead in the Samsung league standings.
But things didn't go exactly to plan.
The home side was only holding onto second by the skin of its teeth after the first round, sandwiched between a rampant German quartet and a French foursome that had found the time a touch on the tight side.
The Irish had been caught on the clock too, with Jessica Kurten's clear on Paavo blemished by the addition of three-quarters of a time fault, the fraction that denied Ireland a share of the lead at the break.
But team-mates Billy Twomey (Conquest) and anchorman Peter Charles (Traxdata Amber du Montois) did the necessary to wipe out the disappointment of a single mistake from Dermott Lennon's normally clockwork mare Liscalgot.
The British, winners of the Aga Khan trophy no fewer than 21 times, had faded to fourth with their only clear coming from Lynne Bevan and Jerome.
Their tally of 8.25 left them ahead of Holland in fifth, with the Americans trailing in sixth and the Belgians last of the seven and out of it for the second round.
Course designer Frank Rothenberger raised three fences for the second round, a move that Peter Charles believes played right into Irish hands, although it certainly didn't look that way when pathfinders Dermott Lennon and Liscalgot hit three.
But the luck was definitely with the Irish. And, with the six remaining teams running in reverse order of merit, the first of the leading Germans also left poles from three fences on the turf to level the scores again.
Billy Twomey and Conquest, winners of the Kerrygold Classic on Thursday, looked set for a double clear.
But the stallion made up too much ground through the combination and took out the middle element, only to be followed into the arena by German Lutz Gripshover, whose horse Warren hit exactly the same rail.
The Dutch were creeping back into contention at this vital stage and, with a four and a clear from their first two, were level-pegging with the Germans. This left Ireland fractionally off the pace in third with the last two riders still to go.
Tension was high as Jessica Kurten came in for a second crack at a clear with Paavo. As the little bay launched himself over the final oxer, the top rails crashed down for four faults and the crowd's cheers turned to groans. But the gods were still with us. Gilbert Bockmann's first round four-faulter was all forgotten as Bockmann's Life notched up a cricket score with two stops at the double of water ditches and two rails down. A clear from British number four Michael Whitaker put them back in the hunt, but Peter Charles knew he could afford one mistake and still clinch victory for Ireland.
The back rail of the combination used up the advantage, but Charles needed no more and Amber du Montois soared over the final oxer, elevated by the roars of the crowd as they celebrated a home win.
Germany's last man in could do nothing to remove the Irish from the winners' enclosure, but a single mistake gave second place to Britain, with the Germans dropping to third ahead of Holland.