Ireland showed they remain a force in European team showjumping - despite failing to qualify for London 2012 - by winning Friday's FEI Nations Cup round at Hickstead.
It was a timely recovery for the Irish, who held eighth and last place in the overall Nations Cup standings going into Hickstead.
And Great Britain, despite finishing just outside the podium places, climbed three positions to third overall following the combined efforts of Will Funnell, Peter Charles, Tina Fletcher and John Whitaker.
Germany, though, were crowned overall Nations Cup champions one round inside the distance, as their third spot at Hickstead means they will take a 10-point overall advantage to Dublin and now cannot be overhauled by second-placed France.
Ireland's Hickstead victory meant they lifted the gold Prince of Wales Cup for a first time since 2001 and also climbed a place, relegating Belgium to bottom spot.
And it also gave them a degree of consolation for their London failure as all four riders - Shane Breen, Richie Moloney, Darragh Kerins and Clem McMahon - jumped at least one clear round.
Moloney posted a clear in each round on Ahorn van der Zuuthoeve, a feat emulated by only one rider on the day, France's Eugenie Angot.
Ireland will have two individual showjumping entrants at London - Billy Twomey and Cian O'Connor - but no team entry in an Olympic competition that should see Germany start as gold medal favourites.
"It means a lot to win here," said Ireland team manager Robert Splaine, after his team avoided a jump-off when final French rider Penelope Leprevost had a fence down.
"We needed a big result today, and we got it. Everyone jumped at least one clear round, and Richie produced a double clear, which was fantastic on his Nations Cup debut.
"I am hoping now for a good result in Dublin next month, which we also need.
"I knew I had four fantastic riders today, and I am always optimistic.
"You don't feel an average team for these competitions - they are too tough - but I do feel we've had a bit of misfortune that has followed us around this season.
"In this business, there are more downs and ups, and when you are down you have to be strong to come back. It takes a special mentality to be a successful professional showjumper."
While three of Britain's Olympic team - Ben Maher, Scott Brash and Nick Skelton - continued their preparations in low-key classes at the Global Champions Tour event in Chantilly, team chief Rob Hoekstra was still able to send out an experienced quartet.
But Fletcher and Hello Sailor produced the only clear from eight British rounds, and that ultimately cost the host nation, especially as they had just one fence down in six of the other rounds.
London-bound was a double four-faulter on Murka's Nevada, and Hoekstra was left to reflect on an afternoon that ultimately proved frustrating.
"We just couldn't get a clear round, apart from Tina's," he said.
"We had three horses collect faults at the water, which is inexperience and can be typical of young horses. They can make mistakes at a big water jump.
"The whole campaign has been geared towards the Olympic Games, and we haven't had our Olympic team out at any Nations Cup this year.
"We've tried to gear it towards London, and aimed to stay in the top six of the Nations Cup Top League at the same time."
Earlier in the day, French riders continued their successful run by capturing a second international class on successive days.
After Olympian Leprevost's victory in the Bunn Leisure Trophy yesterday, her Nations Cup team-mate Angot won the Bunn Leisure International Stakes.
The class, which carries a four-point penalty for every fence knocked down, saw the top five finishers separated by less than a second.
Angot, riding Davendy S, clocked 66.78 seconds to take spot in a high-class field of 48 combinations.
Britain's Joe Clayton came closest to knocking Angot off top spot, pushing Antello Z to within just eight hundredths of a second behind the French rider.
Philipp Weishaupt, a member of Germany's London 2012 showjumping quartet, took third aboard China Blue 4, with two other British challengers - Mark Armstrong (Thesaura) and Robert Whitaker - finishing fourth and fifth.
