Equestrianism: Nimble Houtzager usurps favourites

A little known 31-year-old Dutch rider, Marc Houtzager, carried off the biggest prize of the Dublin Horse Show when he won yesterday's closing Grand Prix on the 11-year-old stallion, HBC Jacomar. In the process he overtook Philippe Lejeune, who was just 0.6 seconds slower on Nabab de Reve, and Ireland's Lt David O'Brien who had opened the seven-horse jump-off with a lovely clear round on Boherdeal Clover.

Houtzager's prize of €32,000 (£21,300) was the biggest he has ever won. He survived a late scare when he seemed certain to remove the top rail of the last fence until he nimbly whisked a hindleg out of range.

As in Friday's Nations Cup, Di Lampard was the best of the British with Abbervail Dream, who made his first and only error of the show in the opening round. Tim Stockdale had a disappointing 16 faults on Fresh Direct Parcival.

The enthusiastic crowds had been eager for another Cian O'Connor victory, after the 22-year-old Irishman jumped clear in the opening round on Casper with whom he had leapt a massive red wall at 2.25 metres to win Saturday's Puissance. That chance was, however, extinguised when the grey hit the first two jump-off fences.

O'Connor was the leading rider of the show and his selection for next month's World Equestrian Games at Jerez de la Frontera in Spain was confirmed yesterday evening.

O'Connor's stylish riding in all five rounds of the Puissance had been the talking point here on Saturday and there is no doubt that his name, already well-known among regular show jumping followers, will have reached a wider public as a result. He was the only one to clear the big wall, leaving Stockdale on Wiston Bridget and Belgium's Johan Philippaerts on Pedro to be joint runners-up after both faulted there.