Jodie Hall-Mcateer lands victory in the opening five-star class on the Longines Global Champions Tour of Shanghai
Monday 06 May 2024
prjt6v6owykv.jpg "Jodie Hall-Mcateer lands victory in the opening five-star class on the Longines Global Champions Tour of Shanghai")
Jodie Hall-McAteer galloped straight to the top on the Longines Global Champions Tour of Shanghai to head the opening 5* 1.45m on Kimosa Van Het Kritrahof.
Thirty-four competitors tackled the 12-fence track with Jodie pulling ahead of all her rivals to guide the 14-year-old mare Kimosa (Chatman x Eros Platiere) into a runaway win with 2.18 seconds to spare. They pushed Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer on Chil Ma and Ireland’s Denis Lynch with Cordial into second and third respectively.
The pair also jumped clear in Saturday’s 5* 1.55m speed class to finish just off the podium in fourth place 2.70 seconds behind the winner, World Number 1, Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann on Glamour Girl.
The Italian job! William Funnell records a four-star win Montefalco
William Funnell outpaced his rivals in Montefalco, Italy, to head Friday’s 4* 1.50m on Billy Picador.
The field of 63 was reduced to 16 for the jump-off but three opted to withdraw at this point to leave 13 to contend round two against the clock. William comfortably found the shortest route, guiding the 12-year-old Billy Mexico x Animo mare to claim victory by 1.89 seconds.
After finishing second in the initial 55-strong 4* 1.40m speed a little over half a second in arrears, Laura Renwick and Cottee went on to top Saturday’s 4* 1.45m. Fifty-nine riders came forward in this speed class, Laura and the 10-year-old Asterix E Z x Couleur Rubin mare striding ahead to win with 1.47 seconds in hand.
Laura also picked up second in the 12-horse decider of the 4* 1.40m on NFS Angelina (Arko III x Couleur Rubin) 1.22 seconds off the pace.
Graham Gillespie picks up world ranking points at Sentower Park
Graham Gillespie claimed third place in Sentower Park’s feature Grand Prix at Sentower Park in Opglabbeek, Belgium.
Ten of the 55 starters reached the jump-off over course-designer Raf Suarez’s 13-fence, 3* 1.55m track. Graham posted a competitive target from second draw with the Chacco-Blue x Baloubet Du Rouet 16-year-old Veneno. But they slipped down the order to third, Italy’s Emanuele Camille easing Chacco’s Girlstar half a second ahead.
Robert Murphy eased Hulde G into third place in the 3* 1.50m. Fifteen of the original 80 starters posted initial clears over a 13-fence track to qualify for the jump-off with Robert and Jos Lansink Horses’ 12-year-old Vigo D’Arsouilles x Warrant mare jumping another clean round to finish third, 1.07 seconds behind the winner, Italy’s Emanuele Camilli on Chacco’s Girlstar.
Graham Babes narrowly missed out on a victory double with Monks I Am Casall. Second in the 91-strong 3* 1.40m two-phase by only 0.20 seconds, the pair went on to take a win on Saturday. Fifty riders contested this 3* 1.40m two-phase with Graham and the 10-year-old I’m Special De Muze x Casall stallion forging ahead to win by 0.86 seconds.
Alex Gill is a winner in The Netherlands
Alex Gill triumphed in the 2* Anemone Horse Trucks 1.45m with VDL Kelton in Ermelo, The Netherlands.
The 53 starters were whittled down to nine for the jump-off with Alex and the VDL Stud’s Bubalu VDL x Corland nine-year-old setting off determinedly to command the top spot with 0.81 seconds to spare.
Alex also picked up third in the 2* 1.40m speed on the eight-year-old Lacoste VDL (VDL Zirocco Blue x Indoctro) 1.53 seconds off the pace.
Izac Ketteridge is in the ribbons in St Tropez
Izac Ketteridge was in the money in St Tropez - Grimaud, France, with two world ranking places.
Izac eased Cilestro Z into second place in the 15-horse 2* 1.45m two-phase, the nine-year-old stallion finishing only 0.22 seconds behind the pace.
Four faults in the 3* 1.50m speed dropped Izac and the 10-year-old Fufu Z (Fernando H x Casantos) down to fourth spot.
Nathan Bull claimed victory in a hotly contended 2* 1.40m two-phase on seasoned campaigner Milton Van Vrijhern, the Cupido x Utrillo Van De Heffinck 12-year-old edging ahead of their 29 rivals by 0.07 seconds.
Adrian Speight is second in the 2* Grand Prix in France
Adrian Speight missed out on a win in Barbaste, France, but claimed two second places with Millfield Baloney.
Second in the 45-strong initial 2* 1.40m speed just 0.19 seconds off the pace, Adrian and Judith Whitham’s young-at-heart 18-year-old gelding by Balou Du Rouet went on to take second in the 2* Grand Prix on the final day.
Thirty-nine competitors tackled the 1.45m course and were reduced to six for the jump-off. Only two double clears were realised, Adrian slipping into the second spot 2.92 seconds behind the winner, France’s Sebastien Duplant on Alpha De Preuilly.
Image: Jodie Hall-McAteer and Kimosa Van Het Kritrahof. Credit: Longines Global Champions Tour
