EQUESTRIAN: Despite the disappointments of Friday when Ireland's show jumpers failed in their bid for a third successive Nations Cup double at Falsterbo, Sweden, and Lummen in Belgium, Lieut Shane Carey put the smiles back on Irish faces when winning the H&M Derby in Falsterbo on Saturday, and finished as the leading international rider of the show, writes Grania Willis.

Carey and Killossery, winners of Friday morning's two-phase and just pipped the day before in the first Derby qualifier, produced the only clear of the class to claim the €12,000 first prize. A field of 30 starters faced one of the biggest Derby tracks ever built at Falsterbo, but the Clover Hill-gelding Killossery pinned last year's World Cup champion Marcus Fuchs back in second with Royal Charmer after they faulted once.

Denis Coakley and Dreampoint, another son of the prolific jumping sire Clover Hill, hit the second fence, a triple bar. Knowing that the winner's enclosure was now closed to him, Coakley upped the pace, but Dreampoint then connected with the second last, and, despite clocking the fastest time of the class, dropped from potential second to sixth and slashed owner Marie O'Brien's winnings by €6,600.

There was no joy for the Irish in yesterday's Grand Prix, with Robert Splaine (Coolcorron Cool Diamond) best in 12th, two slots ahead of Lieut David O'Brien (Boherdeal Clover) when both faulted in each round to finish behind Denmark's Thomas Velin on Equest Carnute.

And the Lummen Grand Prix eluded the Irish too, although Edward Doyle and Cor d'Alme Z finished as runners-up in the speed class, thwarted by 0.4 of a second. Captain Gerry Flynn and Diamond Explosion, second in Friday evening's Derby Trial, was sixth.

Jessica Kurten, one of an Irish trio competing at Hachenburg in Germany, finished sixth in the Grand Prix with GK Helena behind the all-conquering Ludger Beerbaum with the mare Gladdys S, who had less than a second in hand over compatriot Christian Ahlmann.