JESSICA Kurten opened the scoring for Ireland at the five-star show in Paris this afternoon (Saturday) with a runner-up place in the hotly-contested speed class.

The Antrim-born rider piloted Lady Georgina Forbes's 10 year-old chestnut mare 'Castle Forbes Cosma' to a scorching finish, but was beaten to the 15,000 euro first prize by Ontario-based Olympic gold medallist Eric Lamaze, with the bay mare 'Take Off'.

Kurten was just a third of a second off the pace of the Canadian, but shaded Britain's third-placed Ben Maher and 'Wonderboy III' by a full second.

The 40 year-old Irish rider is joined at Paris by Tipperary's Denis Lynch, and both will be hoping for a favourable starting position in Sunday's rich Paris Grand Prix, which offers 200,000 euro in prize money.