Will Fletcher leads the way as a host of winning Brits took over week 5 on the Andalucia Sunshine Tour in Spain in this week’s international round-up

Monday 10 March 2025

Will Fletcher landed an amazing world ranking double victory on week 5 at the Andalucia Sunshine Tour in Spain, with Iwalinde, culminating with the top-billed 4* Dunas de Barbate Grand Prix.

“I can’t believe it, to win a four-star Grand Prix – I’m just so, so pleased!  It takes an army; the horse was fantastic – she’s a feisty girl and just tries her heart out every time she goes in the ring.  Two wins in a week has been amazing,” said an emotional Will.

Will started the week in fine style, winning Thursday’s feature Hipotels Trophy 1.50m speed with his own and John Walton’s 12-year-old mare Iwalinde (VDL Zirocco Blue X Corland).  They were the only pair to break the 60 second barrier, beating 65 rivals to the top spot by half a second.  It was a sign of greater things to come.

A field of 41 faced course-designer Gregory Bodo’s 13-fence, 16-effort 1.55m track but only four found the key, with the on-form British riders claiming three of them.  France’s Penelope Leprevost got the jump-off underway with a faultless round on Baloubet De Talma but Matt Sampson immediately showed the time could be beaten with an super-quick round on Medoc De Toxandria.  However, two poles on the ground dropped them down the order. 

But Will showed them how it was done with a deceptively smooth round to take just 0.10 seconds off Penelope’s time.  It was dangerously close, but sufficient for a well-deserved victory.  When last to go Simon Crippen and Handsome lowered a rail to slip into third, the win belonged to Will.

“I can trust her, she’s so careful and has so much ability, and she just gave me the best day I could ever imagine,” said a delighted Will, who gained the ride a little over two years ago.

Their last four-star win was at Hickstead eight months ago in the Hickstead Master’s Trophy at the Hickstead Derby meeting.

Graham Gillespie netted second place in an early 77-strong Ashford Farm 4* 1.50m speed with Veneno, the Chacco-Blue x Baloubet Du Rouet 17-year-old finishing 0.42 seconds behind the winner, Mexico’s Enrique Gonzalez on Origi Van De Zeshoek.

Megan Broadway also claimed second in a 4* 1.50m, guiding the 10-year-old Diatender TW (Nintender x Diarado) to finish almost four seconds off the pace in the 17-horse two-phase.

Ben Walker claimed victory in Saturday’s 4* Small 1.45m two-phase, the 12-year-old Creevy Pacino Cruise (Pacino x Cruising) beating their 32 rivals with more than two seconds to spare.  Chloe Winchester was another 4* 1.45m winner, topping Sunday’s 51-horse speed with the 10-year-old mare Korlenski (Cornet Obolensky x Mozart Des Hayettes) by 4.59 seconds.

James Wilson notched up a hat-trick of wins.  James jumped to the top in the 4* 1.45m on Heather Larson’s Querlybet Hero 11-year-old Quality Time of Picobello Z, beating the field of 55 by 1.70 seconds, and touted a victory Eight-year-old double with Radjamerci Van De Blasbloemhoeve (Dieu Merci Van T&L x Wandor Van De Mispelaere). 

Joe Fernyhough scored a victory double.  Calcourt Countdown pulled it out of the bag for Joe in the 4* 1.45m two-phase, the nine-year-old Westpoint Quickfire x Landjunge mare flying into the top spot ahead of all 54 rivals to win by 1.07 seconds.  The nine-year-old mare Calcourt Supersonic marked Joe’s other win in the 4* 1.35m with a 0.20 second advantage over second-placed Simon Crippen’s Zeus Vancouver.

The British wins just kept coming.  Emily Sage claimed two out of the top three places in a 4* 1.40m speed, winning with I Am A Harley, taking third on Cadiz Z and sandwiching Ben Walker’s Creevy Pacino Cruise into second.  Iwan Carpenter emerged triumphant in a 67-strong 4* 1.40m speed on the 15-year-old Merllyn’s Chacco B and Chloe Aston outpaced 59 rivals in a 4* 1.40m two-phase with the 14-year-old mare Flavie Van De Helle.  

Others British wins included: 4* 1.30m winners included Emily Ward on the Plot Blue eight-year-old Millfield Lottery, Megan James with the Comme Il Faut eight-year-old C-Mikado Wapiti MP Z, Red Morgan aboard the Chacco-Blue 17-year-old True Blue III and Adrian Whiteway riding the eight-year-old A Special Diamond HST Z.  In the age classes, Josh Hutchins with Oploo, Carl Edwards on Oslo HX and Ronnie Jones aboard SLH Fantastico all headed Six-year-old classes while Harry Bateman topped a Seven-year-old on Strike A Pose.

 

Harry Charles takes second in the feature Winter Equestrian Festival five-star Grand Prix with rising star Sherlock in Florida

Harry Charles claimed second in the feature 5* Grand Prix with his father Peter and Stall Zet’s Sherlock on week nine of the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, USA.

A field of 39 riders – including six of the World’s Top 10 – made the trip over course-designer Alan Wade’s challenging ‘Saturday Night Lights’ track for the $500,000 Bainbridge Grand Prix, but only seven conquered all the questions to head for the jump-off.

Harry and the 12-year-old Sherlock (Bisquet Balou C x Malito De Reve) looked worthy winners until Belgium’s Emilie Conter owned a risky gallop to the final oxer to wrench the top spot on Portobella Van De Fruitkorf, 0.90 seconds in front of Harry.  World Number 1 Henrik von Eckermann for Sweden finished third on his Olympic ride King Edward.

Harry noted how the up-and-coming Sherlock impressed in the Wellington International atmosphere.  After visiting for the first time in 2024, Harry opted to spend the season here in Florida this time.

“It’s nearly as good an atmosphere as anywhere else in the world,” he said.  “I didn’t plan on jumping Sherlock in too many of the bigger classes under the lights, he’s still quite green at night, but tonight he jumped better than I could have hoped.  I thought the course-builder did a great job – you saw the perfect amount in the jump-off, I’m happy with second place.”

Ben Maher picked up a couple of second places, with The USA’s McLain Ward beating him into the runner-up spot on both occasions.  Ben slipped Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright’s Enjeu De Grisien into second in Friday’s feature $62,500 5* Bainbridge 1.50m.  Forty-nine competitors chased after glory in this speed class, Ben and the Toulon 11-year-old Enjeu finishing more than two seconds behind McLain on First Lady. 

Ben guided Exit Remo into second place in the 59-strong Bainbridge 1.40m speed, again having to concede to McLain, this time riding Laurina, 2.50 seconds off the pace.

 

Mark Edwards clocks up five wins at St Tropez

Mark Edwards enjoyed a successful show at St Tropez – Gassin Spring Tour in France, totting up five wins to his credit.

Royale Tale was the mainstay for Mark, notching up a hat-trick of wins.  Starting with day one’s 84-strong 2* 1.35m speed as an easy run, the 10-year-old Montreuxs Tale x Cavalier Royale mare recorded a 1.80 second victory and went on to add Saturday’s 1.40m to their tally in the 12-strong decider by 2.45 seconds. 

The consistent pair rounded off the week with victory in the final day’s world ranking 2* 1.45m.  The 42 starters were reduced to 12 for the jump-off, but such was the hot competition, they had to share first place with France’s Olivier Perreau on GI Events Dolce Deceuninch after dead-heating on time.

Mark claimed another world ranking win with Dillinger NE.  Forty-nine competitors came forward in the 2* 1.45m speed and Grand Prix qualifier, Mark and the Diarado 10-year-old outpacing all rivals to win the hotly contended class by 0.08 seconds.

The home-bred eight-year-old Tinkers Touch (Tornesch x Tinkas Boy) made Mark’s wins to five in a 2* 1.40m speed, deftly holding off 95 challengers to triumph with 2.67 seconds to spare.

 

Sienna Charles is second in Valencia’s feature Grand Prix with Chawton

Sienna Charles was less than a second from a 3* Grand Prix victory and had to settle for second place on the Moura Spring Tour in Valencia, Spain.

Thirty competitors tackled the 13-fence, 16-effort 1.50m course but the subtle questions reduced them down to five for the jump-off.  Sienna claimed an early lead with the Typhoon S X Caletto II 11-year-old Chawton, but last to go, France’s Aurelien Leroy pipped her at the post, galloping Croqsel De Blaignac into a 0.81 second victory.

Sienna and Chawton had shown their form early in the week with third in the 3* 1.45m.  Six of the original 30 starters returned for the jump-off, Sienna jumping another clear round to finish 0.70 second behind the winning time.  

James Smith notched up a 3* 1.40m winning double on the 10-year-old Dominican 2000 Z (Dominator 2000 Z x Casir ASK), topping Friday’s speed class by 1.56 seconds, and beating 29 rivals 24 hours later in a 14-horse decider with 0.53 seconds to spare.

James missed out on a win in Thursday’s 3* 1.45m speed, settling for second by 2.18 seconds on the Erdento 11-year-old Juno Rose 23. 

 

The Italian Job!  Jack Whitaker speeds to a Grand Prix win in Arezzo

Jack Whitaker secured victory in the 2* Grand Prix on the Toscana Tour in Arezzo, Italy, with Equine America Valmy De La Lande. 

Fifty-four riders came forward to face the world ranking 13-fence 1.45m track with 12 finding their way to a clear round to access the jump-off.  Second out, Jack was quick, decisive and bold to take the lead on the Mylord Carthago 16-year-old and held off allcomers to win by 0.21 seconds. 

Earlier in the week, Jack eased Chique RV Z into second in the 2* 1.40m Grand Prix qualifier.  Thirteen of the original 67 starters returned for the jump-off, Jack steering the Cicero Z x Gelha’s VDL Emilion eight-year-old mare into another clear to 1.06 seconds behind the pace. 

Image: Mackenzie Clark

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