Scott Brash smoothly claims the feature three-star Grand Prix with Hello Valentino to conclude the MET IV Spring Tour in Oliva Nova
Wednesday 30 April 2025
Scott Brash left it until the final class of the show but it was worth the wait as he landed the top-billed 3* Grand Prix with Lady Pauline Harris and Lady Pauline Kirkham’s Hello Valentino to round off the MET Spring Tour IV in Oliva Nova, Spain.
Fifty-three competitors came forward to face the 1.50m track but only nine mastered every question to access the jump-off, including three representing Great Britain. Mexico’s Enrique Gonzalez was leading the way on Origi Van De Zeshoek as Scott prepared to challenge from the penultimate draw. In customary super-smooth yet deceptively quick, Scott guided the Diamantino x Careful 28 11-year-old to ease into the top spot by a quarter of a second.
Jane Annett used her final draw to chase and claim third place on the Etoulon 11-year-old Jywan while four faults dropped Adrian Whiteway and Chacco Volo down to seventh.
Maisy Williams led a British top three in the Gold 1.45m Grand Prix qualifier with Blossom Stud’s Blossom’s Billy Heinz.
Seventy-three competitors came forward in this world ranking 12-fence, 14 effort speed class, but no-one was quicker than Maisy as she followed her father Guy’s instructions to the letter on the eight-year-old Billy Mexico x Vechta mare to score victory by 0.44 seconds. Nathan Bull squeezed Balloon P into second with Carmen Edwards slotting Happy Valerie into third.
Nathan also topped a British top three in the Gold 1.40m speed, outpacing 49 rivals by 1.81 seconds on the 13-year-old Milton Van Vrijhern (Cupido x Utrillo Van De Heffinck). Iwan Carpenter settled for second with Merllyns Chacco B on this occasion and Jessica Hewlett eased Ilmar HBC into third.
Ria Ward notched up a double on the Cobra 15-year-old Loughlans Bridge, topping the final day’s Bronze 1.30m speed by 0.82 seconds and heading an earlier 49-strong Bronze 1.40m speed by 0.40 seconds to push Tony Pearson’s Wyoming 19 and Olivia Gent with Qwintoe Achterhoek into second and third respectively.
Iwan Carpenter emerged triumphant in the Six-year-old 1.30m Final by 2.19 seconds with his mother Amanda’s home-bred Lansdowne stallion Merllyns Greenside Matrix as 13 of the original 43 starters joined the jump-off.
Graham Babes eased Nanieta P (Harley x Diarado) into second in the Seven-year-old 1.40m Final 0.86 seconds short of the winning time in a 17-horse decider, this result placing them third in the MET Young Horse Trophy for Seven-year-olds on points gained over the tour.
Fourteen from a field of 39 accessed the Five-year-old 1.20m Final jump-off, with Emily Sage taking second on Pearl Jam V&V half a second off the pace. Carron Nicol was close behind for third on Casanova SIH Z, champion in the MET young Horse Trophy eight points clear of their nearest rivals. Emily and Pearl Jam finished second with Carron’s son Leo Lamb third on Commeet Van Het Dingenshof Z.
Adrian Whiteway doubled up with Gold 1.35m and 1.30m wins against strong opposition with the eight-year-old A Special Diamond HST Z, Scott Brash claimed victory in a Seven-year-old 1.35m on Lucky Chance Z, Michael Fursedonn won a Six-year-old 1.25m with Ochella and Olivia Gent jumped to the top of a Five-year-old 1.15m on Bellator.
Red Morgan claims a double and Sophie Evans takes a world ranking second place
Elsewhere in Europe, Red Morgan claimed a victory double at Sentower Park in Belgium, winning a 53-strong 2* 1.40m two-phase by 0.71 seconds on the Bustique 14-year-old Golia, and beat 94 rivals in a 1* 1.30m speed with the Chacco-Blue 17-year-old True Blue III. Still at Sentower Park, Jasmin Head was also a 1* 1.30m winner with a 1.01 second advantage on her 17-year-old seasoned campaigner Ma Cherie Z while Jodie Burchmore-Eames (Blakeneys Candy) and Madison Heath (Ti Amore Van De Doornhaag) topped a Six-year-old apiece.
In Hagen, Germany, Sophie Evans jumped CSIO Bel into second in the 60-horse 3* 1.45m, the Tinka’s Boy 13-year-old finishing 1.01 second behind the winner, Colombia’s Santiago Diaz Ortega on Tuuls.
Image: 1clicphoto
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