Ben Maher claims a four-star win in America in this week’s international round-up
Wednesday 05 February 2025
.jpg "Ben Maher claims a four-star win in America in this week’s international round-up")
Ben Maher jumps Corlander to the top in the CSI4* Hermes 1.50m Classic at the Winter Equestrian Festival in the USA
Ben Maher jumped to victory with Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright’s Corlander in the CSI4* Hermes 1.50m Classic on week four at the Winter Equestrian Festival, Wellington International, USA.
“I’ve produced him quietly behind the scenes and he’s jumped a lot of clears and come through nicely,” said Ben.
Forty competitors came forward to face Brazilian course-designer Anderson Lima’s 4* 1.50m track, with 13 answering every question to contend the jump-off. Both Ben and Belgium’s Nicola Philippaerts doubled their chances with two rides apiece, and with six double clears recorded, it was ‘who dares, wins’ in the battle against the clock.
France’s Nina Mallevaey set the target as second out on Nikka VD Bisschop but Ben coolly wiped more than a second off the time in fifth draw with the handsome Corlander.
The rest chased valiantly but to no avail, Nicola coming the closest on Derby De Riverland, half a second in arrears for second place. Ireland’s Cian O’Connor used his favourable final draw to slot Belvedere into third.
Ben jumped double clear for fifth on second ride Ginger-Blue – also fourth in the earlier $32,000 4* Dodd Technologies 1.50m speed, three seconds off the pace.
By the Cornet Obolensky stallion son Cornet Colbert and out of a Landfriese 2 mare, the nine-year-old stallion joined Ben a little over a year ago.
“He was here [at WEF] last year and jumped double clear in the National Grand Prix as an eight-year-old and was consistent in Aachen Young Horse classes with a win, a second and a fourth,” said Ben.
“I gave him a rest after Dublin to give him time to grow up and develop his power as he such a big striding horse and this was the first time he has really gone against the clock since Aachen. He has a huge, huge stride when I let him go into that gear – and I don’t let him go very often – but I’m looking to feature him with my bigger horses in the coming months.”
Harry Charles picked up second in the $62,500 WEF Challenge Round 4 with Casquo Blue. Twelve of the original 34 starters qualified for the jump-off with initial clears, Harry and the Chacco-Blue x Carthago Z 15-year-old posting another clean round to slip into second 2.43 seconds behind the winner, Belgium’s Nicola Philippaerts on Derby De Riverland.
Sameh El Dahan takes a five-star podium place in California
Sameh El Dahan slipped WKD Toronto into third in the $63,000 5* Brainwater 1.50m Classic at the CSI5*-W/CSI2* Thermal in California, USA.
Five of the 21 starters posted first round clears to join the jump-off, Sameh and Joanne Sloan-Allen and her father Joe Sloan’s home-bred Tornesch 1042 x Carnaval Drum 12-year-old again coming home on a clean sheet to slot into third 1.08 second off the winning time.
Amanda Derbyshire is in the money in Florida
Amanda Derbyshire didn’t take a win in CSI4*/CSI2* Ocala, Florida, USA, but was in the money throughout the week.
Thirty-two competitors contended the £32,000 2* 1.40m speed, Amanda guiding Vogue TW – a Vivant Van De Heffinck x Conthargos nine-year-old mare originally produced by Nicole Lockhead Anderson for Tom Williams Stable – into second 0.37 seconds behind the winner, Ireland’s Michael Duffy on RMF Cinnamo. Amanda also picked up fourth with J Diago.
Again having to settle for second, Amanda rode the eight-year-old Max Van De Marijenhoeve (Hermantico x Verdi TN) into the runner-up spot in the $15,000 Buckeye Nutrition Futures 1.40m, 0.67 seconds off the pace in the six-horse decider.
Amanda finished just off the podium in fourth in the early 23-strong $32,000 4* 1.45m two-phase with a double clear on the Favorit ASK 12-year-old Fayuri 1.86 seconds off the winning time.
Olli Fletcher is a winner on the Moura Spring Tour in Valencia
Olli Fletcher was in the money with Krack Bleu C in Valencia, Spain, on the Moura Spring Tour.
Second in an early 41-strong 1* 1.35m speed 1.38 seconds behind the pace, the pair upped their game in the 1* 1.40m Classic speed, the 10-year-old mare outpacing their 32 rivals under Olli’s guidance to win with an impressive 2.67 seconds to spare.
They rounded out their week with second place in the 1* Grand Prix Classic Tour. Thirty-six competitors came forward over the 1.40m track, the 12-fences reducing them to seven for the jump-off. Olli and Krack Bleu maintained their clean sheet form, jumping another clear and into the runner-up spot 0.57 seconds behind the winner, France’s Marie Demonte on Glasgow De Riverland.
Image: Wellington International / Cassidy Klein
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