Ireland has nine chances at Badminton Horse Trials | Horsetalk.co.nz

Ireland's Geoff Curran has been forced to withdraw The Jump Jet from the Badminton Horse Trials, but the country still has nine horses in with a chance.

Ireland's Aoife Clark will ride Vaguely North and Master Crusoe at Badminton.
© Horsesports Photographic

A minor knee injury that The Jump Jet sustained at an event last week flared up en route to England, forcing Captain Curran to withdraw on Thursday from the starting lineup.

There are still eight riders from Ireland set to start, one with two horses.

Horse Sport Ireland's Eventing High Performance Manager Ginny Elliot said the step up in terms of Irish entries was mainly because of "lots of training", and the fact that riders have been able to bring on some young horses while keeping some of their more established rides.

"It is actually a credit to the riders for being good enough to be there. I'm very hopeful we can come away with some really good results this year," she said.

Aoife Clark, from County Kildare, has two starters, and she is joined by compatriots Camilla Speirs, Mark Kyle, Joseph Murphy, Elizabeth Power, Michael Ryan, Louise Lyons, and Sarah Wardell.