British Riders Continue Their Run of International Success
Monday 18 September 2023
.jpg "British Riders Continue Their Run of International Success")
Jack Whitaker was less than half a second from victory in the 3* Grand Prix with Equine America Valmy De La Lande at Hubside Jumping in St Tropez, France.
Forty-eight faced a challenging 13-fence track in this world ranking class and only five answered all the questions set by course-designer Cedric Longis. With three again posting faultless rounds, the clock came into play.
Jack and the 14-year-old Mylord Carthago stallion Valmy just missed out and had to settle for second place 0.39 seconds behind The Netherlands’ Johnny Pals on Zarkava Hero Z. Four faults second time out dropped Lily Attwood and Cor-Leon VD Vlierbeek Z down from a possible second to fifth.
In a dramatic, tantalising Global Champions League in Rome, fortunes drastically changed over the two rounds.
The Paris Panthers pairing of Ben Maher on Point Break and Gregory Wathelet with Nevados S finished on four faults apiece in round one to stand a lowly eighth. But they upped their game in round two and, fuelled by their competitive spirit, they leapt up the order to second place with a sizzling two clear rounds. They were faster by four seconds than winners Madrid in Motion, who claimed a fence in hand.
“We’ve been fighting back and I think we’ve now been on the podium almost every time in the last four or five stages, so we’re pushing back. We always said we would,” said Ben, on their strategy as they now focus on the Riyadh Final.
Scott Brash slotted Hello Mr President into second in the Lugano Diamonds 1.45m at the Longines Global Champions Tour of Rome.
Thirty-five competitors tackled the 5* two-phase with Scott and the Comme D’Api V/D Hacienda Z 14-year-old finishing just 0.20 seconds behind the winner, France’s Nina Mallevaey on Mademoiselle-A – an 11-year-old previously produced and competed by Jodie Hall-McAteer.
Image: 1st Class Images
