Funnell gathers steam

Britain's Pippa Funnell, the reigning European three-day event champion fresh from her win at Chatsworth last weekend, holds the overnight advantage in the IFG three-star class at Punchestown with General Salute, the Irish export she rode to victory in the two-star here last year. Funnell's mark of 42.0 gives her a 3.8 penalty advantage over Thursday's leader Bettina Overesch, the 1997 European champion from Germany, who rides the New Zealandbred Unsung Hero.

Sasha Harrison, the 24-year-old from Richhill, Co Armagh, heads the Irish challenge in sixth with the French-bred All Love Du Fenaud. The pair were best of the Irish at last year's Europeans in Germany when finishing 13th, but Harrison's main goal for this season is a ticket to the Sydney Olympics.

Harrison's mark has helped Ireland to maintain third place in the teams on a tally of 177.4, just over 17 marks behind the leading British quartet. The French have jumped up the order to second, switching places with the Swiss, who have dropped to fourth of the seven teams.

Switzerland are faring better in the KPMG two-star, with Thursday's leader Christian Landolt holding his advantage with the Irish-bred Lord Simba. There has been a considerable reshuffling of Landolt's rivals, however, with reigning world and Olympic champion Blyth Tait getting closest with the grey Eze.

Wexford-born but British-based Jeremy Spring is best of the Irish in the two-star. His mark of 43.8 leaves him sharing fifth place with Pippa Funnell and Primmore's Pride, top price foal at the British high performance sales seven years ago.

The Swiss also hold the trump cards in the CLG young riders class, with Nadja Baroni (Giuadaloquivir) ahead of compatriot Dani Klemm (Mixed) by just 0.4 of a penalty. Co Kildare rider Niamh Flanagan is best of the Irish in eighth with Flowerhill Delight, with Philippa Mains, also from Kildare, topping the juniors on Zolisa.

Matt Ryan, double Olympic gold medallist at the Barcelona Games in 1992, was given a yellow card yesterday afternoon for abuse of the horse. The Australian had been reported following an incident in the show jumping warm-up on Thursday. Ryan accepted the yellow card, which effectively amounts to a warning. He could have refused to accept it, but the matter would then have been referred to the judicial committee of the FEI, the sport's international governing body.

Cross-country at Punchestown gets underway today shortly after 9 a.m, with the eight Irish juniors opening the action. The first of the young riders go out 30 minutes later, followed by the three-star pathfinder at 10.30 a.m..