Harry Charles narrowly misses out on a coveted Royal Dublin Grand Prix win by half a second
Monday 14 August 2023
Harry Charles and Sam Hutton were in the hunt for the Longines International Grand Prix of Ireland title at Royal Dublin but just missed out. They had to settle for second and third in a highly charged jump-off.
Forty top riders came forward over a testing 14-fence 1.60m track with 12 conjuring up initial clears to access the jump-off.
Midway drawn Sam sat quietly on the eager, athletic Casablanca-H to minimise her head snatching tactics, taking care to the tall verticals with a slightly wider turn to the penultimate upright to finish 1.20 seconds behind the early leader in second spot.
Two horses later, Harry Charles made his bid with his Tokyo Olympic ride, Ann Thompson’s 14-year-old Romeo 88, cutting in tighter than Sam. But it still wasn’t enough. He slotted into second place only half a second behind France’s Francois Boudant on Brazyl Du Mezel.
Harry, who has strong ties to Ireland – his mother Tara is Irish born and bred and his father Peter previously competed under the Irish flag – was on his first visit to this iconic show.
Sienna Charles jumped to the top in Saturday’s 1.45m with Valkiry De Zance.
Thirty-four riders contended this speed class with Sienna and the Diamant De Semilly 14-year-old easing into a 0.15 second win. Her brother Harry slotted the Chacco-Blue 12-year-old Chavira into third, sandwiching Ireland’s Tom Wachman into second on Chathalina S – produced in Britain by Alex Thompson.
Longines Global Champions Tour of London
Scott Brash was placed throughout the week at the Longines Global Champions Tour of London but a win eluded him.
Scott slipped Hello Mr President into third place in the hotly contended 5* Lugano Diamonds Trophy.
Forty-four competitors came forward over this 1.50m speed track with Scott and the 14-year-old Mr President finishing only 0.39 seconds behind the winner, Brazil’s Francisco Mesquita Muza on Catch Me Marathon. Matt Sampson was close behind on Daniel for fourth with Joe Stockdale filling fifth spot on Ebanking.
Scott was best Brit in the 47-entry 5* 1.45m speed, guiding Mr President into third 1.25 seconds off the pace. James Smith slipped John and Laura Renwick’s home-bred 9-year-old Cottee (Asterix E Z x Couleur Rubin) into fourth.
Scott eased Hello Jefferson into fifth in the first of the 46-entry individual speed classes – run concurrently with the GCL – almost three seconds in arrears of the winning time. Ben guided Point Break into sixth in the second individual speed 3.37 seconds behind the pace.
Jack Whitaker posted a clear round on Equine America Valmy De La Lande in the first round of the Global Champions League to aid Madrid in Motion to second place in the two-round competition. The team finished almost five seconds behind the winners, Stockholm Hearts and currently stand third on the leaderboard. Ben Maher was also clear in round one aboard Faltic HB as the Paris Panthers took fourth place in the competition and second in the league.
Olli Fletcher was best Brit in the Longines GCT Grand Prix of London with fifth place on Hello William. Ten of the 38 starters negotiated the 1.60m track cleanly to go forward into the jump-off, Olli jumping another clear to finish 2.80 seconds behind the winner, The USA’s Jessica Springsteen on Don Juan Van De Donkhoeve.
William Funnell jumped the Billy Mexico 11-year-old Equine America Billy Picador into second in the 41-strong 5* 1.45m two-phase 0.59 seconds behind the winner, Sweden’s Angelica Augustsson Zanotelli on Kendrick 4. Jodie Hall-McAteer claimed a podium place with third on the 13-year-old Chatman daughter Kimosa Van Het Kritrahof.
Nicole Lockhead Anderson scored victory on day one in the Waddeson Wine 2* 1.40m on the 10-year-old Christian 25 daughter Christian Street.
The pair gave a good account of themselves at the British Showjumping National Championships just a few days earlier, with Nicole awarded the Under 25 ticket giving her entry to the HOYS International classes for the week. They continued their form with a two second win in this 48-horse speed class. Brits filled the top three places as Sally Goding eased Spring Willow into second ahead of Max Routledge on Sue Evans’ Janeiro in third.
Izac Ketteridge galloped to the top in Saturday’s Hunter Woodshavings 1.40m with Galerius. Fifty-six riders contended this 2* speed class with Izac finding the shortest route to win on the Diamant De Semilly x Sandro Boy 12-year-old by almost two seconds. Sally eased Spring Willow into second ahead of third-placed Adrian Speight’s Millfield Baloney, Lauren Caroline finished fourth on Gait L with George Whitaker in fifth aboard Zirocca Zoom.
Sally claimed second in the 2* 1.45m Grand Prix with Spring Willow by a narrow margin. Only five of the 37 starters accessed the jump-off with Sally and the 9-year-old Luidam x Corland mare just 0.10 seconds behind the winner, The Netherlands’ Sebastien Kapel on Vanda Gucci. Emily Seal was also double clear for third on the 8-year-old Karmaletta and Antonia Platt beat the winning time but four faults slipped Marvin Van De Waterhoeve into fourth.
Megan Li steered Premier Titanium into second in Sunday’s Martin Collins London Cup. Seventeen of the 59 starters posted initial clears over the 2* 1.30m track to return for the jump-off, Megan and the Taloubet Z x Cruising 11-year-old finishing 1.25 seconds behind the pace. Jude Burgess slotted the eight-year-old Eddyco Beech into third with Lauren Caroline in fourth aboard the 9-year-old mare Elmira Mail.
Noora von Bulow slotted the I’m Special De Muze 10-year-old Interstar B into second in the 51-entry Martin Collins 2* 1.25m two-phase 1.35 seconds behind the winner.
Claudia Moore guided the Quaprice Bois Margot 15-year-old Ultrachic Du Charmois into second in Friday’s 63-entry Martin Collins 1.30m speed, 1.14 seconds behind the winner, British-based Australian Chris Burton on Chedington Azzurra. Tallulah Mackenzie Smith filled third aboard the Kannan 13-year-old Karaibes.
Isabella Beecroft Luckett secured a win in the 27-strong 2* 1.15m two-phase on Dahar, the Quasimodo Van De Molendreef 15-year-old mare edging ahead by just 0.03 seconds. Imogen Beecroft jumped Chablis into fourth.
Winners the day before, Isabella and Dahar had to settle for second in the GC Store 1.15m speed 2.32 seconds behind the pace. Michaela Whitaker steered the Billy Congo 12-year-old Lingala into third with Imogen and Chablis again in fourth.
Guy Williams jumps to the top in France
Guy Williams claimed victory in the 4* 1.40m on Second Chance in Deauville, France.
A big entry of 97 came forward in this two-phase competition but Guy is known as Britain’s speed merchant and he made short work of the track to slot the 15-year-old Carland x White Clover mare into the top spot with 1.03 seconds over France’s Philippe Rozier in second on Dirty Sweet.
Image: Harry Charles and Romeo 88. Credit - CSIO.CH / Katja Stuppia
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