Denis Lynch and All Star kept up a terrific run of performances by Irish riders at the World Cup meeting in Lyon this evening when the pairing took second in the Equita Masters.

Lynch was one of ten riders who made the jump-off and only Belgian Gregory Wathelet came between him and an Irish victory.

Just five combinations managed a second clear, the first of which was by Gerco Schroder of the Netherlands with Glock’s Lausejunge, before Wathelet on Eldorado van het Vijverhof improved the target by a full five seconds in what was to be the decisive round.

Lynch guided All Star into second two seconds behind the leader, with Colombia’s Carlos Lopez (Admara) then slotting into third, half a second behind Lynch.

The remaining two riders could not trouble the leading three. Marcus Ehning managed a clear but his time on Comme Il Faut could only net him fourth, and last rider Kevin Staut of France on Elky van het Indihof HDC was fastest by over a second but was denied by four faults and ended up sixth.

Lynch’s second place followed an Irish win earlier in the day for Billy Twomey on board Ardcolum Duke, whose time of 28.69 in the two-phase Prix Merial could not be bettered by any of his 48 rivals. Last night Darragh Kenny and Go Easy de Muse took second in the Longines Grand Prix, with Shane Breen and Golden Hawk finishing eighth.

Mike Dunne