The Mayo rider was one of ten combinations through to the jump off from a starting field of 20, and though posting a clear second round, failed to catch eventual Swiss winner Martin Fuchs and PSG Future, who stopped the clock two seconds ahead of the Irishman, to claim the 8,000 euro trophy.

Later today, Hanley and Antello Z were one of four Irish combinations to challenge for the Hong Kong Jockey Club trophy, but collected eight faults in the first round. Identical penalties were also incurred by Denis Lynch and All Inclusive NRW, Mark McAuley and Par Trois and Shane Breen and Farao van T Vennehof, excluding them all from taking part in the second round.

The Hong Kong Masters reaches its climax on Sunday, with the Longines Grand Prix offering a massive 500,000 euro prize purse.

IRISH riders made their mark on the opening competitions of this weekend’s international show jumping with two consecutive wins at Drachten in the Netherlands, and a third place in the big five-star show in Basel, Switzerland.

His third place in the five-star “Golden Drum of Basel” jump off class tonight (Thursday) was enough for Tipperary’s Denis Lynch to win 10,000 euro on Thomas Straumann’s bay stallion All Star, finishing just three-quarters of a second off the pace of Belgian winner Gregory Wathelet and Conrad, who claimed the first prize of 16,600 euro.

At Drachten in the Netherlands, meanwhile, Mayo’s Cameron Hanley took victory in the two-star jump off competition aboard Dundee vd Dwerse Hagen, while fellow Mayo rider Alex Duffy and Corona posted a first place in the next class, the 1m45 speed competition, with 18 year-old Wexford rider Bertram Allen sealing Irish dominance of the night’s events with a second place on Wild Thing L.

Mayo’s Cameron Hanley, who was two years out of the saddle with a serious leg injury, this afternoon placed fourth in the three-star Grand Prix at Arezzo in Italy with Antello Z. This evening Cork’s Billy Twomey, who was kept out of competition since late last year following a serious back operation, finished in third place at Spain’s two-star Grand Prix in Oliva with his long-time partner Tinka’s Serenade.

Both riders have only returned to international competition in recent weeks, and both have recovered from medical conditions that at one stage threw serious doubts over their show jumping future.

Meanwhile in France, Tipperary brothers Trevor and Shane Breen had a family celebration after finishing in the top three of Hardelot’s three-star Grand Prix tonight. Younger brother Trevor slotted Adventure de Kannan into second place behind Britain’s Laura Renwick and Oz de Breve, while Shane Breen placed third aboard the stallion Balloon.

Ireland also enjoyed several wins over the weekend, with Shane Carey and Ballymore Eustace placing first in the 1m45 competition at Hardelot, Denis Lynch and Quintus taking victory in today’s jump-off class at Lanaken in Belgium, and Anthony Condon winning the speed competition at Oliva with Value T.

Horse Sport Ireland Press Release, written by Colin McClelland