Millie Allen is on the Grand Prix podium in France
Monday 12 May 2025
 May 2025 c. Grand Prix Events.jpg "Millie Allen is on the Grand Prix podium in France")
Millie Allen hit form at Le Touquet in France, with a three-star win and a second place in the feature Grand Prix.
Sixty riders faced a 3* 1.55m Grand Prix course but only eight mastered the track to go forward into the jump-off, Robert Murphy (Eagle VD Wolfsakker Z) most unlucky to join them after leaving every fence intact but picking up one frustrating time fault. Nevertheless, four Brits were in contention in the jump-off, Millie the best of the bunch.
Jumping another clear round on Karel Cox Horses’ nine-year-old Viarca PS (Vivant x Diarado), Millie stopped the clock 2.13 seconds behind the winner, France’s Nina Mallevaey on My Clementine. Matt Sampson was close behind for third aboard the Der Senaat 111 13-year-old Medoc De Toxandria while Harry Charles (Sherlock) and Olli Fletcher (Hello William) both returned on four faults second time out for sixth and eighth respectively.
“There were some fast riders in the jump-off and Nina was very fast, but I did the best round I could. Viarca is naturally quick but inexperienced at this level, I was so proud how she stepped up to the role,” said Millie. “There were some top-class riders in there and there weren’t loads of clears; the track was quite tough.”
Millie claimed victory in the Range Rover Small Grand Prix on Quick Diamant HR. Fifty-seven competitors set out over a 3* 1.45m course and 23 returned initial clear rounds to make the jump-off all about the clock. Millie found all the shortcuts and was the sole rider to break the 40 second barrier on the nine-year-old Diamant De Semilly x Quidam De Ravel mare, flying into the top spot by 0.96 seconds.
“It was a tough, testing track with a lot in the jump-off and fast riders but she is naturally fast and I knew if I stuck to my plan, I’d have a good chance – and she was super, the plan worked out,” said Millie.
USA based Jess Mendoza made her trip to Europe a winning one, heading the early 3* 1.50m with Summerhouse. Eighty-two competitors came forward in this class with 20 jumping initial clears to qualify for the jump-off, although two opted to withdraw at this point. Ten produced double clears but Jess and the Guidam Sohn x Indoctro 10-year-old proved the quickest, winning by 0.89 seconds. Matt and Medoc De Toxandria also returned a double clear for fourth.
Ben Maher steered Ginger-Blue to victory in day one’s 3* 1.45m speed, the 14-year-old Plot Blue x Royal Bravour mare outpacing their 88 rivals to win with 1.31 seconds to spare. Olli Fletcher slipped BP Pocahontas into fourth and picked up second in the final day’s 3* 1.40m speed with Krack Bleu C 0.39 seconds off the pace.
Claudia Moore notched up a victory double in the 1* 1.30m speed classes on the 13-year-old Half My Heart, winning on day one by 0.22 seconds and 24 hours later by 0.42 seconds. Abbie Summers missed out on victory by 0.58 seconds to take second place in the eight-horse decider of the 1* 1.35m Grand Prix on Comme Il Faut 13-year-old Acajous Il Faut.
Chloe Aston is a winner in Italy and Graham Babes records victory in Belgium
Elsewhere in Europe, Chloe Aston claimed podium places at Montefalco 4* in Italy. Chloe rode Flavie Van De Helle to a win in the 37-strong 1.40m two-phase, the 14-year-old Carlow Van De Helle daughter claiming a 2.63 second winning advantage after finishing third in the previous day’s 1.40m speed.
Chloe also steered the Diamant De Semilly eight-year-old Diatendro Van Rocherath Z into third in the 4* 1.30m Winning Round almost four seconds off the winning time while Graham Babes recorded a win in the 55-horse Seven and Eight-year-old speed on the promising seven-year-old Nanieta P (Harley x Diarado) by an impressive 2.75 seconds.
Image: Grand Prix Events
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