British breeding grabs the glory as Graham Gillespie scores a four-star Grand Prix win on the Andalucia Sunshine Tour in Spain as we report this week’s international round-up
Monday 10 February 2025
Graham Gillespie emerged on top in the CSI4* Tesalia Small Grand Prix with Warriors Glory on the Andalucia Spanish Sunshine Tour.
“I’m honoured to be part of his career, he’s incredible and it is an unbelievable story,” said Graham, following his world ranking win.
It was a special victory as Warriors Glory – bred in Sussex by Brendon Stud – was making a fairytale comeback from injury.
The 16-year-old stallion – by Warrior, a London 2012 Olympic ride for Azerbaijan’s Jamal Rahimov and out of a Caretino Glory mare – had been retired 16 months ago due to a severe tendon injury. However, ground-breaking daily treatment with lasers by Netherlands-based Equi Laser defied the odds and Warriors Glory returned to competition at the beginning of the year.
“He was based at Equi Laser and they did a very good job, incredible, and it brought him back to competition – something at one time we didn’t think would happen,” said Graham.
A total of 72 competitors tackled the 13-fence, 16-effort 1.45m course with 13 answering every question posed to jump clear and into the jump-off, including three representing Britain.
“I didn’t manage to walk the course as I was busy in other rings with other horses, but I did watch a few riders and it looked a tough, difficult track,” said Graham. “The jump-off was fast, too, I just had to go as fast as I could and win a few quid!”
Second out James Whitaker set a competitive target with the Argento 10-year-old Just Call Me Henry but was relegated by France’s Penelope Leprevost on Djagger Semilly, but it was tight at the top.
Undaunted, Graham set off with determination in the final draw. With a tight turnback and a gallop to a midway vertical, Graham set sail to take out strides on the latter half of the track and sweep into victory by only 0.03 seconds.
It was the second show for Graham and ‘Gorilla’ – aka Warriors Glory – and, after jumping in Oliva Nova, Spain, in January up to 3* 1.45m, the pair travelled to Andalucia, this marking their first win and an amazing turnaround.
“It’s a great feeling to be involved with this horse, he’s had so many good riders in his career, I’m honoured to be a part of it,” said Graham.
Graham missed out on another win by the tiniest of margins, taking second in the 75-strong 4* 1.45m two-phase by only 0.01 seconds with the Chacco-Blue 17-year-old Veneno.
Chloe Reynolds raced to victory in the 4* Small Tour 1.45m two-phase with new ride Christian Street – a former ride of Holly Smith, Bethanie Knight and Nicole Lockhead Anderson – the 12-year-old Christian x Poker mare outpacing their 49 rivals by 0.99 seconds.
Chloe also featured in the Young Horse classes, heading two Six-year-old classes with Casalino PS (Chacoon Blue x Sandro Boy), the first 87-strong 1.15m speed by 1.13 seconds and the second 86-horse 1.20m two-phase by 0.62 seconds. Chloe also won a Seven-year-old 1.30m two-phase with another new ride, the Cornet Obolensky daughter PDV Constanza, outpacing 90 rivals with 0.90 seconds to spare. The new partnership finished second 24 hours later in the 1.30m speed. Alfie Bradstock was another British winner, jumping to the top of a Five-year-old 1.10m two-phase, edging ahead by 0.12 seconds on the Dutch-bred mare Primera B.
Such were the mass of entries in the 4* Medium Tour 1.40m speed, the class was split into two with Chloe Aston topping the 57-horse Group 1 by 1.39 seconds on the 14-year-old Carlow Van De Helle daughter Flavie Van De Helle. Chloe Winchester netted second in Group 2 with the 10-year-old mare Korlenski (Cornet Obolensky x Mozart Des Hayettes) 0.46 seconds off the pace, while Molly Davies clinched second in the final 42-entry 4* Small Tour 1.40m two-phase with the 12-year-old Imagine H.
Several Brits notched up wins in the supporting classes: Sally Schuttert (nee Hopkinson) headed the strong 55-horse 4* Big Tour 1.35m speed by 0.18 seconds on the Vigaro 15-year-old Fadograaf while Ava Vernon claimed a 0.03 second advantage in a 4* Small Tour 1.35m two-phase on Volnay De Choc Z.
Ben Maher misses out on a five-star win by a fraction at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida
Ben Maher narrowly missed out on a five-star win at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida, USA, and had to settle for second on Enjeu De Grisien.
Fifty-one riders came forward to navigate the challenging course set by 2024 Paris Olympic course-designer Gregory Bodo (FRA) in the $116,100 5* Adequan WEF Challenge Round 5 with 11 conquering the first round to qualify for the jump-off.
Ben commandingly took the lead on Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright’s powerful Toulon 11-year-old and looked to have won the class. But last to go Belgium’s Nicola Philippaerts had other ideas and maxed on his final draw with Katanga V/H Dingeshof to storm through the finish line to win by just 0.14 seconds.
“I saw Ben ride and he’s always super-quick but I thought I’d give it a go and she [Katanga] was with me all the time,” said Nicola.
USA-based Brit Blair Wilmer topped the initial 22-strong Bainbridge 1.40m two-phase with a quarter of a second in hand on Arizona.
James Smith notches up a win on the Moura Spring Tour in Valencia
James Smith claimed a win and a second on the Moura Spring Tour in Valencia CSI3*, Spain.
James topped the 3* Medium 1.40m two-phase on Dominican 2000 Z, the Dominator 20000 Z x Casir Ask 10-year-old racing ahead of their 45 rivals to secure the win by 0.77 seconds.
James missed out on a double in the world ranking 3* Big Tour 1.45m, having to settle for second on Juno Rose 23. Twenty-five riders contended this speed class, James and the 11-year-old Erdento daughter slotting into the runner-up spot three seconds in arrears.
Harry Charles is in the money at CSI4* Ocala in The USA
Harry Charles picked up money at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala CSI4*/CSI2* in Florida, USA.
Harry claimed two third places with Sherlock. Thirteen of the 27 starters jumped clear to quslify for the second phase of the opening day’s 4* 1.40m two-phase, Harry slipping the 12-year-old Sherlock (Bisquet Balou C x Malito De Reve) more than three seconds off the pace. Harry also gave Eve Jobs’ Zineday a run for a double clear and sixth place.
Harry and Sherlock’s second third place came in the $32,000 4* Winning Round. Twenty-two initially tackled the 1.45m track with ten returning to battle against the clock, Harry easing Sherlock into third 0.47 seconds behind the winner, Colombia’s Ilan Bluman on Acajou.
British riders are in winning form in Belgium
Brits were in winning form in the supporting classes at Azelhof Jumping in Lier, Belgium, with Chris Smith notching up a winning double.
Chris guided Summer Van De Molenhoek into a victory double in the Seven and Eight-year-old classes. The pair topped an early 1.25/1.30m speed, beating their 66 rivals with an impressive 1.88 seconds to spare. Twenty-four hours later, they conquered all in the Seven and Eight-year-old Final. Again, 67 came forward over a 1.30/1.35m course and with 27 returning for the jump-off, winning was no fluke. With a win already under his belt, Chris guided his wife Nicola’s Nixon Van’t Meulenhof x Tinka’s Boy seven-year-old mare into the top spot, winning with one whole second in hand.
Abigail Walters topped and early 34-strong 1* 1.30m two-phase by 1.10m seconds on the 12-year-old Darling Du Loir and Holly Williams outpaced 42 rivals in Saturday’s 1* 1.30m two-phase on the Chintan 12-year-old Funisa BH by 0.47 seconds.
Image: sunshinetour.net
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