Lily Attwood scores her first five-star win on home soil at Royal Windsor
Friday 12 May 2023
 Royal Windsor May 2023 Credit RWHS.jpg "Lily Attwood scores her first five-star win on home soil at Royal Windsor")
Lily Attwood hit immediate form to take a devastatingly quick win in the Pearl Stakes for Great Britain with Cor-Leon VD Vlierbeek Z on the first day of the five-star classes at Royal Windsor Horse Show.
“I’m delighted; it’s my first five-star win and what a great place to do it - at a home show on the first day, it is definitely up there with some of my best wins,” said Lily.
A field of 29 faced course-designer Bernardo Costa Cabral’s 13-fence 1.55m track in the grand Castle Arena but a tight time allowed in the first round witnessed five riders leave all the fences intact but pick up time faults. This including Ben Maher, back from a shoulder injury riding Faltic HB, and Joe Stockdale with Equine America Bingo Du Chateau.
Lily was the sole British representative in the five-horse decider, although only four came forward as Germany’s Jana Wargers opted to withdraw Limbridge at this point.
She drew the short straw as first out of the starting gates but Lily nailed all the tight turn options to set a sizzling yet stylish target. It put pressure on the others and left them trailing in her wake, Lily bagging the win with 0.39 seconds in hand on her mother Emmy Freeman-Attwood’s Calvaro FC 13-year-old.
“He tries his best every single time. This is only his third show back for six months [following colic surgery] and to have him back at this level and in this form is what means the most to me,” said Lily, who won the under 25 class here with ‘Leon’ two years ago at their ‘lucky show’.
Matthew Sampson got Royal Windsor off to a good start with second place in the opening five-star Defender Stakes on Isabel Fox’s MGH Candy Girl.
Thirty-two competitors came forward in this two-phase over a 13-fence 1.45m track and it was all about the clock as 21 riders contended the second phase. Luxembourg’s speedy Victor Bettendorf claimed victory on Big Star Des Forets, Matthew and the Sligo Candy Boy x Cruising 10-year-old taking the runner-up position 0.93 seconds in arrears. John Whitaker piloted Lynne and Paul Barker’s Green Grass into a double clear and fourth.
Matt took over the ride on Candy Girl in January after Olympic eventer Gemma Stevens (nee Tattersall) had produced her up to 1.45/1.50m level.
“Gemma has done a great job of producing and she won a good 1.50m speed class out in Sentower Park, Belgium, last week. This is her first class since,” said Matthew.
Image credit: Royal Windsor Horse Show
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