DERMOTT Lennon led Thursday's Irish tally of European top five places with a win in tonight's feature speed class at the five-star World Cup show in Geneva, Switzerland aboard Judith Sossick's Irish-bred Limmerick mare Loughview Lou Lou.

The Co.Down-based rider scorched home in a 51-strong field a fifth of a second faster than his nearest challenger, French star Pénélope Leprevost and the French-bred mare Modena.

Later in the evening Tipperary's Denis Lynch was one of three to share first place in the Six Bar class at Geneva with Thomas Straumann's gelding Upsilon d'Ocquier.

Lynch is joined by fellow Irish riders Jessica Kurten and Niall Talbot in a quest for World Cup points in Sunday's Grand Prix at the Swiss Palexpo stadium. Lynch is currently highest-ranked of the trio with an eighth place in the World Cup rankings.

Meanwhile at the four-star show in Porto, Portugal, Meath's Cian O'Connor started the night with a third place in the Two Phase competition on the bay gelding O'Connell Street, just over a second off the pace of French winner Philippe Rozier and the mare Akita.

O'Connor then went on to claim a fifth place with a double clear round in Porto's Grand Prix Qualifier with his new mount, the Landor S gelding Blue Loyd. The 32 year-old is Ireland's only competitor at the Portuguese event, and will be hoping to claim some of the 28,000 euro prize money available in Sunday afternoon's Grand Prix.

BREEDING
•Loughview Lou-Lou (ISH) – 2002 bay mare by Limmerick (HOLST) out of Loughview Diamond Lucy (ISH), by Jack Of Diamonds (ID C1). Owner/Bred by Judith Sossick, Randalstown, Co. Antrim. Rider: Dermott Lennon (IRL)
 

Dermott Lennon