IRELAND’S Niall Talbot made a good start at the two-star show at Gorla Minore in Italy, when he was runner-up in Friday’s two-star 1.40m class riding Doris De L’Oiseliere, with a clear round in a time of 59.51 seconds. Germany’s Sonke Aldinger on Crockett WZ won the class in 58.85.

Talbot secured fourth place in the day’s two-star 1.35m two-phase class on FTS Elliott, when they jumped double clear in a phase two time of 30.68. It was very close at the top, with the win going to Switzerland’s Jean-Maurice Brahier on the 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare, Ardkyle First Edition, just over a second ahead in 29.67.