Harry Charles takes a podium place in Geneva in the international round-up of the week
Monday 11 December 2023
.jpg "Harry Charles takes a podium place in Geneva in the international round-up of the week")
Harry Charles, winner of the La Coruna Longines FEI World Cup qualifier in Spain a week earlier, continued with his good form in Geneva, Switzerland, to slot Romeo 88 into second place in Thursday’s feature class.
The 48 competitors faced a 5* 1.60m course of 13 fences designed by Swiss course-designer Gerard Lachat with 15 providing initial clears to return for the jump-off. Double clears came early in this competitive round, but fifth-drawn Harry hit the turbo button with the Contact Van De Heffinck x Orlando 14-year-old to edge into the lead by 0.02 seconds. They remained ahead despite a couple of speed merchants, including ultra-fast Frenchman Julien Epaillard, who beat the time but at the expense of a rail hitting the floor.
Ultimately, it didn’t last as The USA’s Kent Farrington was lightning quick on the 9-year-old Toulayna to wipe 2.31 sec off the time and claim the top spot, leaving Harry in the runner-up spot.
Robert Murphy slipped into second in the world ranking under 25 grand prix on the consistent Hulde G. The 31 starters were reduced to 11 for the jump-off over a 1.45m track with Robert and the 11-year-old Vigo D’Arsouilles daughter finishing 0.68 seconds behind the winner.
James Smith led a British top two in the gold 1.45m on Lissyegan Luise Royale in Oliva Nova, Spain.
Seventy-eight competitors contended this world ranking class over a two-phase track with James comfortably easing ahead on the Luidam x Cruising 12-year-old to win by 1.41 seconds. Adrian Speight slipped Judith Whitham’s 17-year-old Millfield Baloney into second spot.
James had to settle for second in Thursday's big entry 97-strong gold 1.45m speed with Luise Royale 0.68 sec behind the winner.
Grace Debney jumped to the top in Ocala, Florida, USA, taking victory in the $40,000 3* 1.45m on Zarina De Vidau.
Twenty-six competitors contended this speed class with Grace outpacing them all on the Diamant De Semilly 12-year-old mare, edging ahead by the tiny margin of 0.03 sec.
Graham Gillespie jumped Veneno into third in the 3* 1.50m in Salzburg, Austria.
Eleven of the original 42 starters qualified for the jump-off with initial clears, Graham and the Chacco-Blue 15-year-old posting another clear to finish 0.86 seconds behind the winner, The Netherlands’ Marc Houtzager on Sterrehof’s Calimero.
Graham and Veneno came close to winning the concluding 3* 1.55m Grand Prix but a rail cost them dear. Nine of the original 48 competitors returned for the jump-off with Graham providing the fastest time of the class more than a second in hand over the winning time, but four faults dropped Veneno down to fifth. Again, Marc Houtzager took the win, this time on Sterrehof’s Dante.
Amanda Derbyshire claimed second in the 2* grand prix in Thermal, California, USA, with Cornwall BH.
Ten answered every question in the 1.45m track to go forward into the jump-off with Amanda setting a blazingly fast time in the opening draw, leaving the remaining nine competitors to chase her time. No-one could match her until Ireland’s Paul O’Shea put in his bid with the 12-year-old Hellcat to wipe 1.54 sec off the time.
“Amanda was first to go and obviously extremely quick,” said Paul. “The only thing I spotted she did nine strides after the double, I thought there’d be eight there and it helped watching her go. You have to believe you can do it and Hellcat is an experienced mare and quick across the ground.”
Amanda and Cornwall had taken second in the earlier 48-strong Welcome Stakes 1.45m speed 1.61 sec behind the pace.
Image: FEI/Richard Julliart
1weon0iftwu19.jpg "Scott Brash makes a long-awaited Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix win in Shanghai")
1xtpsebafdw52.jpg "Sienna Hutchings and Mia Pearson Soar to Success in the STX-UK Pony British Novice Second Rounds")
