DESPITE recording the slowest zero score in tonight's (Saturday) first round of the Winning Round competition at the five-star World Cup show in Stuttgart, Germany, Mayo's Cameron Hanley put the foot to the floor on his second outing to snatch the €7,500 first prize.

Eleven of the 40 starters managed to go clear, but Hanley's slow first round time meant he had the disadvantage of being first to jump in the second round.

Riding his own 12-year-old bay gelding Antello Z, the Irish rider nevertheless set down a blistering final round time of34.49 seconds and, despite being pursued by some of the world's top 20-ranked riders, held on to his lead, finally relegating Germany's World number three Daniel Deusser andFirst Class Van Eeckelghem to the runner-up spot by just under a second.

PONY SUCCESS

In Neeroeteren in Belgium, meanwhile, Ireland's pony quartet ofPatrick Hickey,Tyrone Flanagan,Elisha O'Connor andAbbie Sweetnam took victory in the show's team competition after a three-way jump-off tonight.