With an opening day win and a second place on Thursday already secured, Richie Moloney went close again with another runner-up prize in yesterday evening’s accumulator class at the four-star World Cup show in Lexington, USA.

Riding Slieveanorra, his partner for Wednesday’s Welcome Stakes success, the Irish rider held the lead until American Leslie Howard finished a quarter of a second faster on Donna Speciale.

Both were well clear of third-placed American Georgina Bloomberg and Manodie II H.

Ireland’s Darragh Kenny finished ninth with Charly Brown.

Ahead of tonight’s World Cup contest, Moloney heads the Audi Leading Rider award at the meeting, with Jessica Springsteen in second behind last night’s winner Howard. Shane Sweetnam is in fourth after his victory in Thursday’s Canadian Pacific Grand Prix at the Kentucky venue.

Mike Dunne