Ireland finished a disappointing fourth in the Samsung Nations Cup at Hickstead yesterday, but the story wasn't completely bleak for the Irish as Captain John Ledingham had galloped Millstreet Ruby to victory in the Traxdata speed stakes earlier in the day.

Ledingham (Kilbaha) was the only Irish rider to conjure a clear round by half-way in the Nations Cup as Ireland suffered a dramatic loss of form. Peter Charles (T'Aime) and Eddie Macken (Miss FAN) each lowered a single pole, with Macken also penalised on the clock, while Erik Holstein (Let's Talk About Ballaseyr) chalked up the discard score, leaving five rails on the floor.

The second round saw the German squad snapping at the heels of the French all through. The result hung in the balance until the very last round of jumping, when Thierry Pomel went clear with Thor des Chaines. Peter Charles contributed a zero score to the Irish tally at the second attempt, but eight-fault scores from both Ledingham and Holstein left the Irish anchorman, Macken, looking for a zero score if the Irish were just to stay equal third with the Dutch. However Miss FAN connected with the vertical at fence eight to drop the Irish to fourth in the final reckoning.

Britain's hopes had faded when they suffered the ignominity of being last of the bunch at the halftime break.