MEATH-based Cian O'Connor was the only Irish rider to make it into the top ten at Gijon's five-star Grand Prix this evening, taking a sixth place on Michael Smurfit's mare 'K Club Lady'.

The competition saw 11 riders through to the second round from a starting field of 45, and O'Connor collected two time faults to add to his first round tally of five penalties, which put him behind the leaders but still well within the prize money bracket.

The 30 year-old collected 5,000 euro for his efforts, but Saudi Arabia's Khaled Al Eid with the talented 'Presley Boy' was one of just two riders to come home on a zero score, and pocketed the first prize of 41,500 euro.

Earlier Ireland's Shane Breen recorded a third place in the 1m40 speed class with the Irish-bred 'Dorada', a competition won by France's Patrice Delaveau on 'Ornella Mail'.

Cian O'Connor