DENIS Lynch was best of the Irish at today's (Sunday) World Cup Qualifier at the five-star Lyon show in France, with an eighth place and 7,000 euro in prize money.

Though one of just nine through to the jump-off from a starting field of 40, the Tipperary rider and Thomas Straumann's bay gelding 'Abbervail van het Dingeshof' took out two poles in their final round to finish on a tally of eight faults.

The World Cup trophy finally went to Germany's Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and the accomplished 15 year-old gelding 'Checkmate', who recorded one of just four double clear rounds and took home the 60,000 euro winner's prize as well as notching up vital World Cup points in this third qualifier of the 13-round series.

Lynch has been consistently in the prize money during his Lyon weekend, with a fourth place in the two-phase opening class and a fifth in Saturday's big jump-off competition, an eighth place in last night's Masters competition, and a fourth in this morning's speed round.

Meanwhile in the USA, Ireland's Darragh Kenny took a sixth place in the three-star World Cup Qualifier at Washington aboard the Irish-bred 'Gael Force'. The competition was won by US Olympic team champion McLain Ward and the Belgian-bred mare 'Sapphire'.

Denis Lynch