Bertram Allen on course for success at FEI World Cup

Wexford's Bertram Allen remains on course to become the first Irish winner of the Longines FEI World Cup show jumping final, despite narrowly failing to qualify for Friday night's jump-off in Las Vegas.

The 19-year-old winner of Thursday's speed competition goes into Sunday's final round in third place, one penalty point behind the joint-leaders, Switzerland's Steve Guerdat and Rich Fellers of the US, who are on a score of zero.

A field of 35 took on the second leg challenge of American course designer Anthony d’Ambrosio but, by the halfway stage, only Norway’s Geir Gulliksen, who was second to jump with Edesa S Banjan, had managed to go clear.

He was to be joined in the jump-off by the host nation's Lucy Davis (Barron), Beezie Madden (Simon) and McLain Ward (Rothchild), with Olympic champion Guerdat making it five, with the treble at 12 catching out so many of their rivals.

With just two to go, the home crowd had plenty to cheer about when veteran American rider Rich Fellers, who was second on Thursday night, went clear with his 19-year-old Irish-bred stallion Flexible, a son of Cruising.

Irish combination

Unfortunately despite his favourable draw, Allen failed to repeat his first leg win when the grey mare Molly Malone lowered the final element of the bogey treble. However, the Irish combination was the fastest of those on four faults to placed seventh.

In the jump-off, just two riders recorded a second clear, with Guerdat taking the honours when home in 32.87 on Albfuehren’s Paille, ahead of Madden, who stopped the clock on 33.31 with Simon.

The concluding leg of the World Cup final, a two-round competition, is due to start at 12.15pm local time on Sunday.