Jumping the key for Gifford

TINA GIFFORD, the British rider who had headed the Balcas International field at Necarne Castle after the dressage only to squander her advantage when O'Leary stopped twice at the troublesome Mexican Wave fence during Saturday's cross country, regained the upper hand when her second ride Mr Macauley jumped clear in yesterday's showjumping to overhaul Jane O'Flynn and Brindalus, the overnight leaders who plummeted to sixth with three knockdowns.

Both jumping tests proved particularly influential, with Saturday's appalling weather conditions adding to the difficulty of Kitty Keys' 24 fence cross country track. The Mexican Wave at 10 took out seven contenders, including international pathfinders Sasha Harrison, whose French gelding All Love du Fenaud ground to a halt three times and headed home early.

But yesterday's showjumping was to have a major bearing on the placings as well. O'Flynn, going for the Necarne hat trick, knew that showjumping was not a strong point in Brindalus' repertoire as the Mandalus gelding had kicked out seven when in third last year.

When both Dream Theatre (Vina Buller) and Mr Macauley (Tina Gifford) left all the fences standing, O'Flynn had no margin for error and, as the first of three rails plopped into the soggy sand, her hat trick hopes were washed away with the rain. Those errors left Gifford - a world team gold and European individual silver medallist out in front, with Buller runner up on the very promising seven year old Orchestra gelding Dream Theatre.

The showjumping was equally influential in the National and Junior divisions, with both overnight leaders losing their grip on the top spot.

Rachelle Harding had established her supremacy in the National section in the dressage with her own horse Glencool and was fast and clear in Saturday's cross country.

But her luck didn't hold and, although she went into the showjumping arena with three fences in hand, it wasn't enough. She had used up virtually all of that margin with two fences left to jump but, although they remained upright, the addition of 2.75 time faults was enough to tip the balance in favour.

Gilford, Co Down jockey Steven Smith. His clear with the eight year old Herr Flick boosted him up from fourth into the winner's enclosure.

Harding slid to second by a mere .55 of a penalty, with Robert Garland and First Offence in third.

There was a similar shuffling of the placings in the Junior class, with Britain's Emma Taylor frittering away a two fence lead and vanishing down into sixth with a fence down and a stop. Those mistakes allowed 16 year old Port rush girl Claire Logue up from third to first.