CONOR SWAIL, the 23 year old Crossgar (Co Down) rider who shot to prominence when claiming the national speed championship in Galway last year with Lisna Tutor, launched his bid to capture the more senior Heineken sponsored national title in Claddagh Park last night. He produced a daring round from the 10 year old Young Tutor gelding which earned them victory in the Nortel jump off class.

However despite his hard earned success, coming after a 12 horse jump off played out in fading light, Swail goes into tonight's final leg of the championship trailing the consistent Tynagh (Co Galway) rider Tom Slattery by two points.

Swail slashed just over half a second off the target set by defending champion Edward Doyle (Jessie) in last night's timed round, jumped off over a raised track in which the most influential fence, the final planks, claimed five victims.

Meanwhile Eddie Macken, in action at the Aachen Nations Cup show in Germany this week, contacted the chairman of selectors, Paul Duffy, last night to confirm that his intended Olympic mount, Miss FAN, will be examined at a top German veterinary clinic next Tuesday to ascertain whether or not she will be available for duty in Atlanta next month.