IRELAND'S Shane Breen continued his recent run of good form when winning the French Grand Prix at St. Lo today (Sunday) aboard Sarah Knight's mare Zarnita, while fellow-countryman Dermott Lennon placed third on Judith Sossick's Irish Sport Horse mare Loughview Lou Lou.

Tipperary's Breen outpaced French Olympian Kevin Staut and For Joy van't Zorgvliet by less than a fifth of a second in the eight horse jump-off, but Co. Down's former world champion Dermott Lennon was not far behind the Frenchman, slotting the bay Limmerick mare into a comfortable third place, also on a double clear round.

Breen, who claimed third place at the Helsinki World Cup Qualifier earlier this month with his stallion Balloon, picked up 10,500 euro for his first place today, while Lennon took home 6,300 euro.

In Manerbio, Italy, meanwhile, Ireland's Mark McAuley took fourth place in Sunday's two-star Grand Prix with Isco de Amoranda, a competition won by Switzerland's Paul Estermann and the Irish Sport Horse Castlefield Eclipse in a tie with fellow-countryman Steve Guerdat and Clair II, both finishing on double clear rounds in a time of 38.48 seconds.

In the USA Darragh Kenny was best of the Irish in the World Cup Grand Prix at Washington, placing sixth with Prof de la Roque. The competition was won by the USA's Kent Farrington and Blue Angel.