Joe Stockdale secures a five-star victory in Fontainebleau with Equine Rescue Services Kandleford
Monday 29 April 2024
Joe Stockdale claimed victory in the 5* 1.45m with Colin Garratt’s Equine Rescue Services Kandleford at Le Printemps des Sports Equestres in Fontainebleau, France.
A total of 54 competitors came forward in this speed class with several world-class riders in contention. Joe outpaced them all, skilfully guiding the Kannan x Pythagoras 14-year-old gelding – bred by David Broome – into the top spot to win by 1.77 seconds.
“There wasn’t anything radical you could do against the clock but the course didn’t jump as well as expected and a lot of fences were falling. I knew I had to keep up on the number and not spend any time on the rollbacks and get it on the first stride after turning,” said Joe. “He’s got a big stride and makes up distances easily and he was quick. He’s quite a character, a lovely horse and very useful to me and this was the class for him.”
Tabitha Kyle lands a win at Sentower Park with Desterly
Tabitha Kyle hit top speed to take victory in the initial 2* 1.45m with TJ Hall’s Desterly at Sentower Park in Opglabbeek, Belgium.
Thirty-seven competitors came forward over course-designer Bernard Mathy’s 11-fence track with Tabitha in speed mode, urging the eager Tolan R x Murano 16-year-old mare into the top spot to win with an impressive 2.45 seconds to spare.
Tabitha also claimed third in a 62-horse 2* 1.40m two-phase on the 10-year-old Jumanji 0.81 seconds behind the winner.
Graham Babes headed a 2* 1.40m two-phase, outpacing his 55 rivals on the 10-year-old stallion Monks I Am Casall (I’m Special De Muze x Casall) to score a 0.97 second win.
Matt Sampson just missed out on a win but was in the money throughout the week. Matt jumped a double clear in a competitive 2* 1.45m, where less than two tenths of a second separated the top three, on James Davenport’s handsome stallion Daniel. Nineteen of the 86 starters posted initial clears to access the jump-off with Matt and the Heartbreaker x San Patrignano Mister 16-year-old only 0.19 seconds behind the winner, Brazil’s Thiago Ribas de Costa on Catharina W & W Z.
The 10-year-old Equine America Ivanhoe GPH (Marome NW x Indorado) picked up two 1.40m two-phase second places for Matt, the first in a start-list of 54 0.53 seconds off the pace. In the latter 53-strong 1.40m, Matt claimed second and third, Amy Mason’s Ivanhoe again in the runner-up spot 0.62 seconds off the winning time, followed closely by Isabel Fox’s MGH Candy Girl.
Image: PSV / M. From
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.jpg "Stockdale leads British clean sweep in the Royal International Vase")
