CORK'S Shane Sweetnam will be the first Irish rider out onto the turf when the historic Aga Khan Trophy competition begins shortly before 3pm tomorrow at the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show at the RDS in Ballsbridge.

Team Ireland Equestrian's show jumping manager Robert Splaine tonight (Thursday) confirmed that his team for the Nations' Cup will be Sweetnam aboard 'Amaretto Darco', followed by 23 year-old Kildare rider Nicola FitzGibbon and her gelding 'Puissance', who will be making their Aga Khan debut tomorrow.

Ireland's third man in will be Tipperary's Denis Lynch with 'All Inclusive NRW', while another Cork rider, Billy Twomey, takes up the anchor position for Ireland with the mare 'Tinka's Serenade'.

The Irish have been drawn to jump in a favourable seventh position of the world's top eight teams competing, while France will open the competition.

Meanwhile, Co. Down's Dermott Lennon took first prize with the Irish-bred 'Loughview Lou Lou' in the hotly-contested Speed Derby this afternoon, followed in second place by Mayo's Alex Duffy and 'Courtown'.

The Irish continued their whitewash with a third place from Capt. David O'Brien and the Cruising mare 'Mo Chroi', a sixth place from Shane Breen and 'Magic Fox', and a seventh from his brother Trevor Breen with 'Adventure de Kannan'.

The Power and Speed class later in the day saw the USA's Laura Kraut once again taking victory on 'Dona Evita', but Tipperary's Denis Lynch was hot on her heels in second place with 'Night Train', while Cian O'Connor slotted the consistent 'Splendor' into fifth. Shane Breen and 'Carmena Z' claimed sixth place, and Dermott Lennon was once again in the prize money, taking ninth with his own gelding 'Vampire'.