OLYMPIC bronze medallist Cian O’Connor maintained his sparkling form at the five-star show in Aachen today (Friday) with his second win on the ten year-old mare Be Gentle.

Competing in the speed derby class Prize of Sparkasse, which was designed as a “hunting competition over ditches and banks” the Meath-based rider showed the skills he picked up as a youngster on the hunting fields of Ireland and streaked home in 72.42 seconds, just shading German runner-up Janne Friederike Meyer and Chloe.

O’Connor has proved a talented partner for his American pupil Lillie Keenan’s Dutch-bred mare, the combination also winning a speed class at Aachen on Tuesday.

O’Connor also placed third in Thursday’s 1m50 competition on the nine year-old bay gelding Callisto, just behind fellow Irish rider Jonathan Gordon on Fellini 131 in a class that was won by US Olympic gold medallist Laura Kraut.

O’Connor said this afternoon: “I’ve had good results all week here at Aachen, and it augurs well for Sunday’s million-euro Grand Prix, where I’ll be competing with my top horse Good Luck.”