Irish signals go astray in dressage

EQUESTRIAN: Ireland's eventers head out on the cross-country course at Markopoulo with all guns blazing this morning in their bid to make up a 56.8 penalty deficit between themselves and the leading British quintet. But things are substantially closer at the top end with Britain, team silver medallists in Sydney four years ago, holding a lead so slim as to be almost anorexic over a rampant French team, whose European champion Nicolas Touzaint heads the individual rankings.

With Sunday's blustery conditions mirrored in the dressage arena yesterday, many horses found the atmosphere just too daunting, including Ireland's Kings Highway, whose mark of 68 penalties left rider Edmond Gibney despairing.

"He does find the dressage the most stressful part of the event, but he got totally over-excited with the whole occasion and he just couldn't cope with it."

Disappointing though the mark undoubtedly was, chef d'equipe Helen Cantillon O'Keeffe was only too aware of the 12-year-old gelding's propensity to produce an explosive test.

"We were expecting a 75 or an 80, so we were relieved in a way," she said afterwards.

Cantillon O'Keeffe had been hoping that both Gibney and last in of the Irish Mark Kyle could produce tests in the 50s, but Kyle also ended up in the 60s when the grey Drunken Disorderly scored 63 for overnight 50th.

After two days of dressage, Sasha Harrison maintains her now traditional best of the Irish role, but even she is some way adrift of the leaders in 31st, with Niall Griffin and Susan Shortt still neck and neck in 40th and 41st.

The combined marks of this top trio leave Ireland ninth on 170 penalties, but the British bid to claim Olympic gold for the first time since Munich in 1972 looks on track with a score of 113.2.

There is no margin for error, however, as the French - silver medallists behind the British at last year's European Championships in Punchestown - are breathing down their rivals' necks. Just .2 of a penalty separates the top two teams, with Germany a further point adrift in third.

Despite early talk amongst the riders that course designer Albino Garbari had pitched his cross-country challenge too low, the 34-fence track was commanding increasing respect last night as the moment of truth drew closer.

"The more we walked it the more we realised there are a lot of questions out there", second placed Pippa Funnell said yesterday.

Kildare jockey Susan Shortt, who kicks off the Irish challenge shortly after nine this morning, is one of the few riders who has consistently voiced the opinion that the course would be a serious test.

"It may not be as big as Sydney or Jerez, but I don't think anyone should underestimate it," she said.