Mike Cash this week when the equestrian's recent lack of form sent the swimmers on their way to Barcelona.

Morbey and Cash had resigned themselves to missing out on Spain after the Bermuda Olympic Association announced its 20-strong team last week. Having helped Geri Mewett and Ian Raynor to a new national 4x100m freestyle record -- three seconds inside the Olympic qualifying time -- the pair were told that there was no room for them on the Bermuda team.

But, Cherry's misfortune resulted in a last-minute reprieve for the pair, sending a swim relay team to the Olympics for the first time since the 1948 London Games.

In Barcelona, Morbey and Cash will team up with Mewett and Raynor, who will also be competing individually.

But the swimmers' delight at the unexpected chance to realise their Olympic dream was tinged by sadness for Cherry.

"We are good friends,'' said Morbey. "I feel really sorry for him.'' After an outstanding 1991 in which they easily met the qualifying standard, Cherry and his mount Bermuda Connection have struggled to find their form this year. And, following several disappointing competitions in recent months, the final straw came this weekend, in England, when they failed to complete the course at an event in Savernake, Wiltshire.

"He is devastated,'' said his father Mike Cherry, "but it wasn't a complete shock. He knew he hadn't been doing as well as he should.'' Cherry Sr., who is spokesman for the Bermuda Equestrian Federation, said the recommendation that his son withdraw was made by former British Olympic equestrienne Bridget Parker who has been overseeing the Bermuda team's Olympic build-up.

"She made her views known to the selection committee, and the final decision was made by the executive committee of the BEF on Monday,'' he said.

Despite his understandable disappointment at missing out on the Olympics for the second time in four years, Cherry said that his son realised it was the correct decision. "He accepts the fact that the well-being of the horse is paramount. You can't take risks in this sport.'' Cherry's Olympic hopes were first dashed back in 1988 when he was forced to pull out of the Seoul Games because his mount Toddybrook was injured. Similar problems also kept him out of the 1990 World Championships.

Now he has to resign himself to the fact that another three years of hard work have been in vain, and concentrate his efforts on the 1994 World Championships in Holland and the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

The absence of Cherry in Barcelona will put added pressure on the remaining members of Bermuda's three-day event team, who will now have no margin for error. The performance of all three riders -- Peter Gray, Mary Jane Tumbridge and Nicola DeSousa -- will have to count towards the overall team score. They will not have the luxury of a discard, so all of them will have to complete the demanding cross-country course.

But they can be sure of unfailing support from their absent team-mate who will be there to cheer them on from the sidelines.

The BEF's decision to drop Cherry led to Morbey and Cash being summoned to the BOA's offices on Tuesday to sign the necessary papers for their trip to the Olympic city. "Their documents were couriered to Spain today,'' said BOA secretary John Hoskins yesterday.

Even though the inclusion of the swimmers increases the number of Bermudian athletes from 20 to 21, the number in the tour party will remain the same as Cherry was to have been accompanied by his groom.

"The International Olympic Association advised us to send off all the paperwork as soon as possible, and sort out the rest when we get there,'' said Hoskins. "We are hoping that everything will be okay.'' National swimming coach Gareth Davies said the inclusion of Cash and Morbey would be a big morale-booster on the eve of the team's departure next Tuesday for last-minute training in Wales.

"I am delighted for them. They really deserve it.'' Davies, too, expressed his sympathy for the unfortunate Cherry, saying, "What is great news for Cash and Morbey is obviously a bitter blow for him.'' IN -- The relay team. From left, Geri Mewett, Mike Cash, Craig Morbey and Ian Raynor.

OUT -- Hard-luck equestrian Dennis Cherry.