George Whitaker lands a Bolesworth International winning double
Saturday 17 June 2023
George Whitaker hit form and claimed a victory double on the penultimate day at a sunny Bolesworth International.
George jumped to the top in the Le Mieux 3* 1.40m winning round on Martin Wood’s Peanut. A big entry of 71 came forward in this Winning Round with 18 qualifying to contend round two. They were no match for George and Martin Wood’s promising 10-year-old Peanut (Barrichello/Quasimodo Z) and they smoothly secured the top spot by a handsome 1.84 sec.
“He was phenomenal, that was one of the best rounds he’s ever jumped. It was a tough track with technical lines – they’ve been strong all week but they needed to be with the number of good riders here,” said George, who was thrilled with Peanut. “He has stepped up to another level since the back end of last year with wins in ranking classes and a 2* Grand Prix – he’s so consistent and is in the money virtually every time out, he makes my job easy.”
Emma Stoker slipped Daisy into second ahead of Sophie Evans with CSIO Bel.
George scored a second win in the 1* 1.30m on Zirocca Zoom, also owned by Martin Wood. The 57 starters were reduced to 18 for a fiercely contended jump-off, George and the VDL Zirocco Blue x Kojak eight-year-old mare edging ahead to win by 0.14 sec.
“She’s small but very blood with an unbelievable amount of stride and she can turn on a sixpence, I can turn her real tight to any fence – vertical or oxer – and she’ll jump it as she has so much scope. She’s become a little weapon,” said George, who is now focusing on taking these two to compete in Monaco at the end of June.
Rachel Proudley steered Sue Lincoln’s Happy Boy – a winner earlier in the week – into second.
Madison Heath clinched the win in the 1* 1.35m speed on George O’Shea’s Bouncer, the 11-year-old outpacing their 29 rivals by more than three seconds.
Tom Whitaker triumphed in the Natural Flack Wood Shavings seven-year-old final with Leigh Collier’s Colliers Carlotta. Only nine of the 50 produced clear rounds over the 12-fence 1.35m track to tackle the jump-off with Tom and the Codex One x Cornet Obolensky mare cruising ahead to win by 1.34 sec.
Nicole Pavitt claimed the six-year-old final with the Cornet Obolensky sired Cornet of Follyfoot. Sixteen of the original 56 starters returned for the jump-off with Nicole galloping into the top spot by a handsome 2.36 sec.
Image: Equestrian at Bolesworth
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