The Irish chef d'equipe, Tommy Wade, is confident of victory in this afternoon's Aga Khan Cup following six wins this season for the side. This has left Ireland well clear of the opposition in the Samsung Nations Cup rankings.
As the home crowd celebrated Billy Twomey's scorching triumph in the Kerrygold Classic, Wade announced his quartet for today's team decider and was bullish about a home triumph against the six-nation opposition.
"We're drawn fourth or fifth to go," he said to the accompaniment of the National Anthem in the background announcing Twomey's win. "But it doesn't matter because we're going to win anyway."
Ireland has actually been drawn fifth to go, with the French opening the batting, followed by Belgium, Holland and Germany. The Americans are in slot six, with the British in pole position and determined to turn the tables on the Irish after the win at Hickstead last month.
Dermott Lennon, whose double clear at the Sussex venue clinched the Prince of Wales trophy for Ireland for the first time in 63 years, has been called on to act as pathfinder for the Irish team, followed by Twomey with the stallion Conquest. Jessica Kurten, who withdrew Paavo from yesterday's jump-off to save his firepower for today, jumps third with Peter Charles in as anchorman on the tricky mare Traxdata Amber du Montois.
Charles, who fell twice at Hickstead, was lucky not to hit the deck against the clock yesterday when the Lithuanian-bred Traxdata Mulligan jinked out at the third. Charles stayed put but victory was beyond his grasp. However, an Irish win was assured after Twomey's top-speed tour.
The Dutch-bred stallion Conquest had a lucky escape at the first part of the double, but Twomey kept his foot to the boards and had the chestnut's nose through the finish in 41.35 seconds, which none of his rivals could touch.
Nick Skelton had done his best to claim the class for Britain with an opening round of 41.90 from the mare Showtime. That proved good enough to leave him in second ahead of American rider Schuyler Riley, who was more than a second off the pace for third.
But the Americans already had one in the bag, following Marilyn Little's success in the earlier Kerrygold Accumulator at the expense of Jessica Kurten and Marion Hughes.
Little, the 18-year-old daughter of Lynne Little who rode on the American team 12 months ago, was determined to avenge her defeat at the hands of Marion Hughes on Wednesday. And she did it in flying style, slicing off over two seconds with Pico de Gallo.
Jessica Kurten and the stallion For Joy gave it their all, but a check coming into the final two fences meant the difference of five-hundredths on the clock and £350 on the money earnings. Kurten had to settle for runner-up behind Little, with Hughes third on Flo Jo.