CAPTAIN JOHN Ledingham, moved one step closer to joining the elite group of riders who have won three Silk Cut Hickstead Derbies in a row.

Kilbaha, his winner of the £120,000 Classic for the past two years, jumped a clear round in yesterday's Derby Trial at the Sussex showgrounds before being withdrawn from the jump off to conserve his energies for tomorrow's gruelling test.

A lung infection prevented the Irish gelding from lining out for the Irish Olympic team but his connections are confident that after a rest period on The Curragh and a reintroduction to the international circuit at last week's Kerrygold Horse Show, he is back on form.

Ledingham's withdrawal from yesterday's nine horse jump off left the way clear for Britain's Nick Skelton to snatch the £2,500 winner's cheque with the mare, Sublime, in a daring round which relegated Michael Whitaker to second place with his new ride, IJM Touchdown.

This 14 year old stallion, formerly the ride of Irish international James Keraan, who is sidelined following a shoulder injury sustained in June, had been given a trial ride by Eddie Macken in Dublin last week, but with far less success. However since joining the Whitaker string this week, he has already notched up two second placings in top class company and is highly regarded.

Meanwhile, at the European pony championships in Denmark yesterday Ireland's Emma Wilson and Colton Maelstrom won the individual gold medal for the second year in succession.