IRELAND had two riders in the top five at the finish of this afternoon's (Saturday) jump-off class in Verona, with Kildare-born Niall Talbot taking the trophy on Jean-Claude Engisch's chestnut gelding Nicos de la Cense.

Talbot, who is now Swiss-based, was one of just five riders to go clear in the first round from a starting list of 36, and held off a challenge from Germany's Philipp Weishaupt, who lost out on the 12,500 first prize by a quarter of a second.

Tipperary's Denis Lynch, meanwhile, took fourth place on his new mount, Flaminia Straumann's gelding Lord Luis, also recording a double clear round.

Lynch and Talbot will also be contesting Sunday afternoon's Rolex World Cup Grand Prix, where the total prize money on offer jumps to 150,000 euro.
 

Niall Talbot