Chepstow International 2* - Show Round Up
Tuesday 31 August 2021
The feature 2* 1.45m grand prix at Chepstow International went to the wire as last-to-go Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzooqi for the United Arab Emirates galloped into the top spot on Denitha.
Course-designer Raf Suarez tested the sixty starters with a technical 13-fence track and fourteen qualified for a hotly contended jump-off, just 0.55 seconds separating the top three. British-based Irishman Jack Ryan set an early target with BBS McGregor and held off several challenges.
But Omar set off at the gallop with Denitha, immediately took out strides down distances and clearing the final vertical with a flourish to wrench the win by just 0.13 seconds. Sienna Charles was best Brit in third on Controe.
“He has a big canter so I took out one less stride in the first two distances to get ahead early and took care in the double and to the last,” said Omar, who has ridden the Vingino x Goodwill 13-year-old since February. “He’s experienced at 5* level and is good for me to learn over bigger heights and for the bigger sport.”
Hagen 3* and qualifying for the World Equestrian Games is next for Omar, who is based in Goldalming, Surrey, at Al Shira’aa Farms – sponsors at Hickstead and Bolesworth Young Horse Championships – where they are focused on breeding black type progeny using their own four stallions and commercial stallions.
“The vision is to support young horses and British breeding and put the AES Studbook on the map in contention with the likes of KWPN and Zangersheide,” said Al Shira’aa representative Samantha Kettle.
Mark Edwards had already fired a warning shot with victory in day one’s big tour 1.40m with Flying Tinker II and they returned to head the medium tour 1.40m grand prix. Ten of the forty-one starters reached the jump-off but Mark had the win sewn up on the Tinker’s Tale 10-year-old he bred before selling on to Marlene Edwards with 0.26 seconds in hand.
“He’s just stepped up to this level and jumped his first world ranking class in Drammen [Norway]. He’s got a big stride for a little horse but we’ve taken our time as he’s so careful,” said Mark.
Jessica Botham landed the small grand 1.35m prix with Karaibes. Just nine of the 43 starters returned for the jump-off with Jessica taking the win by 0.99 seconds on the 11-year-old mare by Kannan and out of the Acord II mare Arielle – a world cup winner for a then 18-year-old William Whitaker at Mechelen in 2007.
“I bought her five months ago from Marie Edgar, she’s just stepping up to this height but she’s super-quick and I knew I could take out a stride to the last,” said Jessica.
Fresh from victory in a 2* 1.40m at Bolesworth, Faye Adams and the Quasimodo Z 13-year-old Demograaf raced to the top of the 42-horse big tour 1.40m speed by more than three seconds. They had settled for second the previous day as Australia’s Chris Burton edged ahead in the latter stages of the 17-strong 1.40m jump-off on Caliber Royale.
British breeding looks in good hands as British youngsters claimed the top places in their respective grands prix.
Chris Smith notched up a double with the promising Be Golden, winning the accumulator before returning to top the 6-year-old grand prix. The initial thirty competitors were whittled down to fourteen for the jump-off, Chris and the Golden Hawk x Namelus R gelding edging ahead by just 0.05 sec to deny Mark Edwards the win with another home-bred, Royale Tale – a daughter of his top ride Montreuxs Tale.
Chris picked up two more wins with the Indoctro x Quidam De Revel 11-year-old Filandria, topping a competitive small tour accumulator by just 0.04 seconds and taking the final small 1.30m speed with 1.78 seconds to spare.
Billy-prefixed horses came to the fore in the 37-horse 5-year-old grand prix as Lorraine Lock on the Emerald Van’t Ruytershof x Cevin Z mare Billy Gobi posted a 0.21 seconds advantage over Jack Stovell on Billy Hepburn (Chacoon Blue x Animo) in an eight-strong decider.
Alice Watson claimed the gold tour 1* grand prix on the consistent Cinsey x Prince D’Incoville seven-year-old Cintrix Du Ruisseau, winner of Friday’s silver 1.15m two-phase and champion in the 5-year-old title here two years ago. Fourteen of the original forty-six grand prix competitors tackled the jump-off with Alice galloping ahead to win with 2.06 seconds to spare.
Alice claimed a third win with seasoned campaigner Billy Lemon, the 16-year-old Cevin Z daughter winning Friday’s medium tour 1.35m two-phase by just 0.04 seconds.
Hannah Vickery outpaced all to take the silver 1.25m grand prix on Landlord Z. Seventy-five came forward with thirteen joining the jump-off, Hannah and the Lord Z x Caretano Z 13-year-old easing ahead to win by 0.61 seconds.
Jon Paull hit form with Upsidaisy Z, heading the 88-strong bronze accumulator by a handsome 2.64 seconds and lifting the bronze 1.10m grand prix. It was no mean feat with twenty riders reaching the jump-off from a huge one-hundred-and-one entries, Jon and the Belgian-bred 12-year-old mare edging ahead by 0.21 seconds.
Chloe Reynolds and the Numero Uno x Quidam De Revel 10-year-old Grenadier Volo – 2017 Big Star 6-year-old champion – doubled up with a small tour 1.30m single-phase and a medium 1.35m speed wins. Charlene Bastone was another double winner, taking the 1* 1.25m two-phase on the 9-year-old Halina HL and the 1* 1.25m speed with the 11-year-old Fyberlinus H. Madieson Blakesley and the 13-year-old Daniek seized two bronze tour 1.05m wins, taking an early two-phase and the final speed class.
Full results can be found at: https://www.mizoneventservices.com/
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