DENIS Lynch took fourth place tonight in a tightly fought feature class at the World Cup show in the Netherlands, where just over a second separated the top four finishers in the 12 horse jump-off.

Tipperary-born Lynch, who is now German based, rode Flaminia Straumann's speedy bay gelding 'Lacroix', but the 7,000 euro winner's prize went instead to German former Olympic medallist Marcus Ehning with the even faster Sandro Boy mare 'Sabrina'.

Lynch is joined at the World Cup venue in 's-Hertogenbosch by fellow Irish riders Jessica Kurten and Billy Twomey.

Lynch and Kurten will be hoping for a top placing in Sunday afternoon's World Cup Grand Prix, which is the last chance for them to add vital points that could qualify them for the Rolex World Cup Final at Leipzig, Germany in May. Twomey has already qualified, currently holding sixth place in the World Cup rankings. Only the top 18 riders can take part in the final, and Kurten is at number 23 while Lynch is currently at number 30.

Ireland's Dermott Lennon took fifth place in last year's World Cup Final at Geneva, while Kurten was equal fourth at Gothenburg in 2008, and second at Kuala Lumpur in 2006.

Denis Lynch