THE notoriously challenging Hickstead Derby course this afternoon (Sunday) yielded only one first round zero score, removing the need for a jump-off, but Ireland finished with five riders in the top ten, with four Irish-bred horses also featured.

Britain's Tina Fletcher recorded the sole first round clear score with 'Promised Land', but Capt. David O'Brien and the Minister for Defence's Cruising mare 'Mo Chroi' and Shane Breen with the Golden Cliff gelding 'Mullaghdrin Gold Rain' shared the runner-up spot with British rider Ronnie Healy and another Cruising offspring, the grey gelding 'Carlow Cruiser', all on four faults. Britain's Guy Williams and 'Richi Rich III' finished as the fourth runner-up.

O'Brien and Breen collected 17,000 euro each for their placings.

The younger Breen brother, Trevor, took equal seventh place on eight faults with 'Adventure de Kannan', while Michael Whyte and the Puissance gelding 'Highpark Lad' finished in equal ninth on 12 faults, as did Ger Clarke and 'Jake's Dream'.

Shane Breen and Capt. David O'Brien