Fraser Reed hits form to scoop four wins in Valencia in this week’s international round-up
Tuesday 03 March 2026
An on-form Fraser Reed notched up four wins on the Moura Spring Tour in Valencia, Spain.
Fraser’s best result came in Sunday’s 3* 1.45m as Matthew Pike’s SES Jumeirah stepped up to victory.
“He’s super-careful and such a cool horse, he can run and jump and it makes him so fast,” said Fraser.
Forty-one competitors came forward to contend this speed class, Fraser and the Diamant De Semilly x Ard VDL Douglas nine-year-old firing on all cylinders to beat the known speedster Victor Bettendorf (LUX) into second and third places on Champion De La Roque Z and Horacio Du Gue with 0.70 seconds to spare.
“I’ve ridden him since July and he can be cheeky, but we know each other well enough and he’s hit a bit of form lately. He does have a small stride and goes a bit like a pony so we’re always moving forward,” said Fraser. “It was a big ring with long runs between fences so we were always travelling; I can just keep going with him and his legs move so fast!”
Fraser was also on form in the age classes, topping an early Seven and Eight-year-old 1.30/1.35m two-phase by half a second on the eight-year-old CSF Pallas (Diamant De Semilly x Ars Vivendi).
“This was his first international show. He won in the first week and has stepped up easily, but he took it in his stride, nothing fazes him,” said Fraser.
Steepleton Miracle Escape conjured up a double in the Six-year-old classes to make it four wins for Fraser. Twenty-three riders tackled the initial 1.20m speed, Fraser and the Escape Z daughter flying ahead to win by almost three seconds. The pair maintained their form 48 hours later with a 1.31 second win in the 1.20m two-phase.
This mare – bred in Britain by Jennie Sharpe – was purchased only one week before leaving for Spain.
“She’s a good stamp, careful, runs and jumps and is very simple to ride,” said Fraser, who expanded on her name – “Her breeder Jennie is in contact with us and messaged the story of her birth. Both her and her dam were rushed to an equine hospital shortly after birth and both had to be resuscitated.”
Guy Williams touted a victory double. Guy sneaked ahead in the 3* 1.45m speed, the 11-year-old mare BH Gringos Legacy (Tullibards Bennys Legacy x Colourfield) beating the 56 rivals with only 0.02 seconds in hand.
Guy’s second win came in the final day’s 3* 1.35m as he set alight the 11-year-old Karim EBH (Thunder Van De Zuuthoeve x Flipper D’Elle) to post a 3.41 second winning advantage.
Matt Sampson speeds to a win on the Andalucia Sunshine Tour in Spain
Matt Sampson landed victory in the 2* 1.45m with Latte Macchiato on the Andalucia Sunshine Tour in Vejer de la Frontera, Spain.
Seventy-two bid for glory in this world ranking speed class but no-one could match Matt in pace and fervour, the Pacino x Boherdeal Clover 13-year-old Latte Macchiato flourishing under Matt’s guidance to win by 0.57 seconds.
Matt missed out on a winning double and had to settle for second place in the ClipMyHorse.TV 2* 1.45m Grand Prix aboard Un Secreto Z. Seventy-two competitors faced the 13-fence, 16-effort course but only 12 found the key to advance to the jump-off, Matt and the Ultra Boy x Arko III 11-year-old finishing runner-up 2.19 seconds behind the pace.
Georgia Tame missed out on a 43-strong 2* 1.45m two-phase win by only 0.18 seconds on the eight-year-old BE Thiassi (Cuick Star Kervec x Andiamo).
Jess Hewlett notched up a hat-trick of wins. The Arezzo VDL nine-year-old Mosandro Van Perbeemd landed a victory double, topping an early 70-horse 2* 1.35m speed by 2.62 seconds before stepping up to win the final 36-strong 2* 1.40m speed with only 0.08 to spare over fellow Brit Emma Manton’s Vanilla Fusion. Ilmar HBC marked Jess’ other win, heading a 66-entry 2* 1.30m speed by 3.70 seconds over Tabby Morgan Evans and Highway.
Tabby also posted three wins. The 14-year-old Highway (Otangelo x Numero Uno) reversed the results, leading the way in a 26-entry 2* 1.35m two-phase for Tabby with 0.54 seconds over Jess and Ilmar HBC. Tabby doubled up in the Pony 1.25m classes, winning both aboard the 12-year-old Billy Congo daughter Conella.
Abbe Burchmore-Eames galloped to the top of a 2* 1.40m speed by 0.33 seconds on the home-bred 10-year-old Hamberlins Peridot (Emerald x Kannan) while Olivia Banks (Lahelien W), Tom Whitaker (Gameboy SWB) and Jude Burgess (Leestone Nicolas) all claimed victory in 1.30m classes and Taio Strevett topped a 1.25m on Harrop Grigio.
Noora von Bulow and Olivia Sponer take Grand Prix podium places in Oliva Nova
Two British young riders featured in the top-billed Spring MET II 3* Grand Prix in Oliva Nova, Spain, as Noora von Bulow, 17, and Olivia Sponer, 19, set out on their 2026 campaign.
Forty-four riders set out over The Netherlands’ course-designer Louis Konickx’s 13-fence, 16-effort world ranking 1.50m track, with his cleverly-designed technical questions reducing them to just five for the jump-off – with three Brits in with a chance. Nonetheless, only one double clear reigned supreme as Switzerland’s Fay Schoch was the sole rider to produce a second flawless round and take the win on Cornetto DB Z. Time decided the other four as they all came home on four faults, Noora providing the fastest time of the class, more than four seconds quicker than the winner, to take second on the 13-year-old Primavera (Mylord Carthago x Cornet Obolensky. Olivia was 1.49 seconds in arrears for third spot with the 15-year-old Bingo Du Chateau and Skye Higgins also finished on four to take fifth aboard Fly For You.
Charlotte Ash had to settle for second in an early 56-horse 3* 1.50m speed, the 13-year-old mare Irma-Riende (Baltic VDL x Indoctro) proving 1.82 second off the winning time for second place. Charlotte also earned a win in the penultimate day’s 48-entry Gold 1.40m speed on the nine-year-old Air Sandulay (Air Jordan x Sandro Boy) by 1.98 seconds.
Jack Stirling was also a winner as Oakingham Stud’s 12-year-old Chacco-Blue daughter OS Vino raced ahead of 71 rivals to win a Gold 1.35m speed with 1.57 seconds to spare.
Brits are in the money in Europe and The USA
Elsewhere, Robert Whitaker and Ben Maher picked up five-star and four-star podium places.
Robert guided Equine America Gentlemen VH Veldhof into second in the 5* 1.50m Winning Round in Helsinki, Finland. Ten of the fastest clears from the 36-strong start list returned for round two against the clock, Robert and the evergreen Quite Easy x Calido I 20-year-old finishing second by the tiny margin of 0.01 seconds behind the winner, Italy’s Giampiero Garofalo on Lambrusco.
In Ocala, USA, Ben Maher steered Maddox V H Haringvliet Z into third in the $117,000 1.50m Grand Prix qualifier. Paris 2024 Olympic course-designer Gregory Bodo’s track featured a tight time allowed and delicate lines with the final oxer also proving influential, and he reduced the 50 starters down to 11 clears for the jump-off. Ben and the nine-year-old Maddox (Monte Bellini x Ogano Sitte) produced an early clear but was knocked down to third place by last-to-go Christian Kukuk (GER) with Viki Van Gogh, 0.90 seconds faster.
Joe Trunkfield claimed second in the Royan 3* Grand Prix in France with the promising Corvette VH Reukenis Z. Only seven of the 44 starters posted initial clears over the 1.50m track to join the jump-off, Joe and the Cicero Z x Corland nine-year-old easing into the runner-up position 3.64 seconds off the pace.
Joe also topped day one’s 43-horse 3* 1.30m speed with 2.59 seconds in hand aboard the 10-year-old Cashallco.
Image: Moura Tours
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