The Brits are in five-star form in this week’s international round-up as Millie Allen takes another win
Tuesday 25 February 2025
.jpg "The Brits are in five-star form in this week’s international round-up as Millie Allen takes another win")
Millie Allen secures a five-star victory with the aptly-named Clearround Il Mondo Z in Doha
Millie Allen continued with her successful run at Al Shaqab in Doha, Qatar, adding another five-star win to her ever-growing tally with the consistent Clearround Il Mondo Z.
“To win the 1.55m jump-off class with Clearround was exhilarating in such a top-class field,” said Millie.
Forty-five riders participated in the 5* Prix Hermes Sellier over Italian course-designer Paolo Rossato’s 13-fence 1.55m track, but it was a race against the clock in round two as 21 qualified for the jump-off with initial clears. Predictably, the times at the top were tight, with only two tenths of a second separating the top four.
Millie hit the turbo button on Karel Cox Horses’ nine-year-old Clearround Il Mondo Z (Comme Il Faut x Clearway), never missing a beat to fly into the top spot with a tiny margin of just 0.07 seconds.
“He’s only a nine-year-old and he coped with ease in the jump-off,” added Millie.
Millie also picked up second in day one’s world ranking 44-strong 3* 1.45m speed, guiding the nine-year-old Quick Diamant HR (Diamant De Semilly x Quidam De Revel) into second 1.24 seconds behind the pace.
“I’m very pleased with all my horses over this tour, they’ve all proved themselves at five-star level,” said Millie. “The facilities and organisation here at Al Shaqab are excellent and I look forward to returning next year.”
Ellen Whitaker was another five-star winner, outpacing 52 rivals in the 1.45m speed with the nine-year-old stallion Quainton X-Rated (Big Star x Namelus R) with 1.47 seconds to spare.
Scott Brash rounded off the British wins with victory in the 3* Grand Prix on Hello Folie. The 13-fence 1.50m track reduced the 34 starters to five for the jump-off, with Scott providing one of only two double clears aboard Lady Pauline Harris and Lady Pauline Kirkham’s 10-year-old Luidam x Diamant De Semilly mare to win with 1.13 seconds in hand.
George Whitaker gets a win under his belt in Peelbergen
George Whitaker scored a world ranking victory with Peanut at Peelbergen in Kronenberg, The Netherlands.
The 66 riders forward over course-designer Bernard Mathy’s 13-fence, 16-effort 1.45m track were reduced to 16 for the jump-off, but George outpaced them all. Riding his gather-in-law Martin Wood’s Barrichello x Quasimodo Z 12-year-old, George maintained a relentless yet smooth pace to gallop into the top spot by 0.58 seconds.
Donald Whitaker is on the podium in Gothenburg
Donald Whitaker netted a podium place in the 5* 1.50m with Ulania 3 in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Swedish course-designer Peter Lundstrom set a 12-fence, 15-effort 1.50m track for the 34 riders forward and 15 answered every question to advance to the jump-off. Ireland’s Denis Lynch set a sizzling target on King Blue – produced in Britain by Louise Lovegrove – with Donald chasing hard on the Ariko x Acord II 11-year-old to slot in behind just 0.01 of a second in arrears. Nonetheless, Belgium’s Jeroen Appelen used his late draw to beat both, sailing into the top spot on Dancing Wolf OL – another produced in Britain with Trevor Breen in the saddle – by 1.66 seconds.
Georgia Tame lands a win in Sharjah
Georgia Tame scored victory in the 5* Sharjah Tourism Cup Six-Bar with BE Golden Lynx in the United Arab Emirates.
Twelve came forward to face the six vertical test and by the fifth and final round, only two were left in the competition. When Uzbekistan’s Abdurakhmon Abdullaev and Chicarito were eliminated, Georgia just had to complete the line to win.
She didn’t jump clear, but just one mistake by the nine-year-old stallion BE Golden (Golden Hawk x Lux Z) put them on four faults and sufficient for the win.
The tiniest of fractions denied Lily Attwood victory in the 5* 1.50m Grand Prix qualifier. Sixty-six competitors contended this speed class, Lily and the Landor S x For Pleasure 15-year-old only 0.01 of a second off winner Sophie Hinners (GER) on Iron Dames Singclair.
Joe Stockdale slipped Billy Santorini into third in the 5* Sharjah Tourism Welcome competition. Forty-four riders started in this 1.45m two-phase with Joe Billy Mexico x Billy Congo nine-year-old finishing third 0.46 seconds off the pace.
Taisie de Gruchy hits the top notes with La Presley CJS in the Oliva Nova Grand Prix
Taisie de Gruchy claimed a podium place in the feature Mediterranean tour 3* Grand Prix in Oliva Nova, Spain, with La Presley CJS.
Forty-four competitors set off over the 13-fence, 16-effort 1.50m course but only four made it through to the jump-off with initial clear rounds. Only two proved clear again, Taisie steering the nine-year-old Cicero Z Van Paemel x Lancelot mare into second with an easy clear 4.73 seconds behind the winner, Belgium’s Jerome Guery on Great Britain V.
Matt Sampson slipped Ebolensky into second in the world ranking Gold 1.45m Grand Prix qualifier. Seventy-one riders contended this speed class with Matt and the 16-year-old Clinton x Heartbreaker mare finishing 1.77 seconds off the winning time, again set by Jerome and Great Britain V.
Lauren Caroline claimed victory in the Silver 1.35m speed on the eight-year-old BE Cuick One (Cuick Star Kervec x Golden Hawk), beating 49 rivals by 0.41 seconds, Phillip Spivey topped a Seven-year-old 1.35m two-phase with Billy Disco and Madison Heath galloped the 12-year-old Don VHP daughter Ivory to the top of a 51-strong Silver 1.25m Table C speed (seconds added for a knockdown), half a second ahead of Noora von Bulow’s Billy Utah in second.
WEF
Grace Debney jumped to victory in the 2* Grand Prix on week 7 at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, USA, with Jesprit H.S.
Thirteen of the original 45 starters mastered the 1.45m track in the $62,500 Buckeye Nutrition 2* Grand Prix, with late-drawn Grace in flying form to take the win on the Eldorado VD Zeshoek x Carosso VDL 11-year-old with 0.57 seconds to spare.
The pair had demonstrated early promise in the $32,000 Grand Prix qualifier, Grace guiding Jesprit into second place in the 17-strong decider, finished second 1.39 second off the winning time.
Ben Maher slotted Enjeu De Grisien into second in the $116,000 5* Adequan WEF Challenge Round 7. Twenty of the 45 starters qualified for the jump-off over course-designer Anthony D’Ambrosio’s track for a promised hot round against the clock where 10 of the top 12 were Olympians. Ben looked quick on the Toulon x Andiamo 11-year-old Enjeu, but Israel’s Ashlee Bond was quicker, streaking ahead on Donatello 141 to win by one second.
Ellie Hall-McAteer seizes a four-star second place on the Andalucia Sunshine Tour
Ellie Hall-McAteer clinched second place in the 4* 1.45m with the British-bred Sacino on the Andalucia Sunshine Tour in Vejer de la Frontera, Spain.
Fifty-six competitors contended this two-phase class with Ellie and the Pacino x Corland 12-year-old – bred in Sussex by Lynne Humphries – finishing second 1.43 seconds off the pace. Jemma Kirk also posted a double clear for third on Leroy Van De Muggenhoek.
Brits claimed several wins in the supporting classes: Jess Hewlett headed a 4* 1.30m speed on the Dantos 12-year-old Ilmar HBC by 1.65 seconds, Molly Davies topped a 4* classic 1.30m two-phase with half a second in hand aboard the nine-year-old Lamshire.Ryal.K over Chloe Lemieux’s Skylandria in second with Laura Mantel claiming victory in an early Seven-year-old 1.35m speed riding Tequila Sunrise OS (Faltic HB x Osmium) by 0.19 seconds and Ronnie Jones won the Six-year-old Farewell 1.25m speed with SLH Fantastico (Fantaland x Landeur) by 1.09 seconds.
James Smith features in the Valencia three-star Grand Prix
James Smith eased Eagele Z into a podium place in the Moura Spring Tour 3* Grand Prix in Valencia, Spain.
Thirty-one competitors started over a challenging 1.50m course with only five mastering all the fences for two Brits to be pitted against three French riders for the honours. James returned the steadiest of the clears with the Eldorado VD Zeshoek x Ramiro Z 14-year-old to slot into third, ahead of Sienna Charles with a fast four faults on Chawton for fourth.
Brits landed a top two in the 1* Grand Prix, led by Claudia Moore. Nine of the original 28 starters found the key over the 1.40m track with Claudia galloping ahead of her rivals on the nine-year-old Hunter’s Scendix daughter Sandy Way Z with 1.17 seconds in hand. Fellow Brit Deborah Jackson finished second on Isacarie.
Amanda Derbyshire notches up a USA winning double
Amanda Derbyshire conjured up a victory double in Myakka City CSI2* in the USA.
Amanda lifted three of the top four places in the $32,000 The Estates at TerraNova 1.45m FEI Welcome Speed, winning with J.Diago. Twenty-seven competitors started in this speed class with Amanda starting at a good pace and rhythm and building up speed with J.Diago, the Diarado 11-year-old taking a flyer down the final line of oxer to vertical to win by 0.28 seconds. Amanda also picked up third and fourth with Sadie De Rialfo Z and Fayuri.
It was a good omen for the 2* Grand Prix as Amanda and J.Diago featured. Twenty-five came forward over the 1.45m track with just three posting first round clears. However, Canada’s Stephanie Gallucci withdrew Calle 67 at this point, leaving Amanda to go head-to-head with The USA’s Mia Bagnato. It was close but Mia edged ahead by 0.09 seconds to leave Amanda and J.Diago in second spot.
Amanda’s second win came in the $20,000 Blalock Waters 1.35m, where she again claimed three of the top four places. Eleven contended this class with immediate jump-off, Amanda finding the shortest route to win by 0.21 seconds with the Vivant Van De Heffinck x Conthargos nine-year-old mare Vogue TW – produced in Britain by Nicole Lockhead Anderson, Emma Stoker and Emily Sage. Amanda also eased Sade De Rialfo Z and Renkum Oriana into third and fourth.
Image: Lukasz Kowalski @lukaszkowalski_com, @in2strides & © dohatour.qa
