SHANE Carey opened the batting at Gothenburg's World Cup show in Sweden tonight (Thursday) with Ireland's first top five place.

The 33 year-old Limerick-born rider piloted the bay gelding 'Temple Road through to a 13-horse jump-off from a starting field of 33, but though jumping clear again, lost out on the 10,500 euro first prize to local rider Rolf-Goran Bengtsston and the stallion 'Casall La Silla', who produced a faultless round that bettered the Irishman's time by over four seconds.

'Temple Road', which is jointly owned by McNamee's Bakery & Ronnoco Jump Ltd, picked up 2,000 euro for Carey for his fifth place.

Ireland's Denis Lynch and 'All Inclusive NRW' missed out on the jump-off by a single time fault, while Cork-born Billy Twomey collected five faults in the first round with 'Je t'Aime Flamenco'.

Twomey, though, picked up a seventh place at the five-star venue earlier today with Michelle Gatland's gelding 'Tackeray', in a speed class that was also won by Rolf-Goran Bengtsson.

Shane Carey