Irish European hopes boosted by clear rounds

Equestrian Sport/ Badminton three-day event: Ireland's hopes of an improved performance at this year's European three-day event championships in Italy were given a huge boost with superb cross-country clears from all three of the Irish runners at the British three-day event in Badminton, but Saturday's action was marred by two equine fatalities and an unprecedented - for Badminton at least - 22 withdrawals in protest at the state of the ground.

The list of withdrawals included some high-profile names, chief among them world and European champion Zara Phillips, who was anxious about her double gold medal horse, Toytown, on the rock hard and, in places, rutted ground.

Former Badminton winner Mary King, who pulled out both her horses, described conditions as "horrendous". The riders' dissent was apparently justified when three of the first four starters fell out on course, but New Zealander Andrew Nicholson then scorched around smack on the optimum time of 12 minutes six seconds. All three of the Irish were also game to run and Austin O'Connor, first out for Ireland, emulated his hero Nicholson's achievement, making the massive course look easy. O'Connor didn't push too hard with 12-year-old Hobby du Mee finishing with 10 time penalties.

The day had already taken a sour turn, however, when British horse Skwal died of a suspected heart attack after completing the course with Andrew Downes. But it got substantially worse when French runner Icare d'Auzay (Jean-Lou Bigot) suffered fatal injuries in a freak accident at the Vicarage Vee, fence 13 on the 30-fence track.

As the horse veered slightly to the right over the fence, knocking down the flag in mid-air, it landed on the flag and the splintered shaft shot up in the air, piercing the femoral artery. The horse received rapid veterinary attention on the course and, after a lengthy hold-up, was taken by horse ambulance to a nearby veterinary clinic, but died on the operating table from a perforated bowel and massive blood loss.

Already out on the course, Jonty Evans was held up for 40 minutes, but severe bruising from a fall the previous Sunday meant he didn't get off the horse because he wouldn't have been able to get back on. The 35-year-old stayed focused and steered Cregwarrior to a clear for 16.8 penalties on the clock, but the effort had left Evans in more pain with a strained groin to add to his injuries. Sarah Wardell and Kincluny completed the Irish hat-trick with a magnificent clear, boosting their score by just 2.8 to rocket up the placings from 74th to 31st.

Wardell added four faults in yesterday's show jumping to end up 26th, three slots ahead of Evans, whose injuries will almost undoubtedly force him to miss Punchestown later this month. O'Connor, fourth here six years ago, was once again best of the Irish in 21st with just one down in the show jumping.

Australia's Lucinda Fredericks, winner at Burghley last September, had led from flagfall and held on to claim the £55,000 winner's cheque to mark an impressive purple patch for the Fredericks after her husband's victory at the Rolex Kentucky four-star last weekend.