Laura is the Master and Cian is Simply Splendid!
Saturday 18 December 2010
Laura Renwick, the only woman in Olympia’s Renault Christmas Masters this afternoon, showed the boys how to do it with a breathtaking headlong gallop in the fifth and final round.
Last to go in the jump-off against the clock in this winner-takes-all contest for the leading seven riders in the show, Laura earned a useful Christmas bonus of 15,000 euros and gave notice of the outstanding potential of her supremely athletic youngster, Oz de Breve.
Former Olympian David Broome, who was commentating, said: “I hope Rob Hoekstra (Britain’s World Class Performance manager) is watching, because I think this is a 2012 horse.”
“He is a different class,” agreed a breathless Laura of the eight-year-old chestnut who she talent-spotted as a three-year-old at his breeder Marine Payenne’s French stud.
“I can’t say enough about him. David’s right – he is a different level from anything I’ve ridden before. I think I won with my turn to the double – I took a bit of a risk but you don’t get anything for finishing second!”
Sweden’s Peder Fredericson was first out with a fence down in the first round, as the jackpot, which started at 4,000 euros went up by 500 euros with every clear jumped.
Ben Maher and Toklund lasted to round three, and Norwegian Geir Gullikson to round four.
Guy Williams and Depardieu van’t Kiezelhof set the standard in round five with a clear in 24.6sec, but this was bettered by Dutchman Marc Houzager on Uppity (23.88).
Robert Smith gave it a good crack on the scopey grey Balourado, a son of the world champion Baloubet de Rouet, but missed at the very last fence, and then it was all down to Laura, whose courageous performance warmed the heart on a cold, snowy afternoon.
To listen to an audio interview with Laura Renwick visit:
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/OLY_renwick.mp3
Cian is simply Splendid
Stirring finishes have been the hallmark of this year’s Olympia, the London International Horse Show, and Cian O’Connor’s late burst on Splendor in the Santa Stakes was no exception.
The penultimate rider in a 13-horse jump-off, the ebullient Irishman conjured a extraordinarily fast round, despite a cheeky buck, to snatch the 6,480 euros first prize from under the nose of the classy Frenchman Simon Delestre on Oslo du Chalet.
Poignantly, this is O’Connor’s last weekend with the 11-year-old chestnut gelding, as the horse has been sold to Egyptian rider Ahmed Tallit.
“Splendor has a huge stride,” explained Cian. “I had already taken a stride out to the double and was thinking of just checking him before the last fence but the crowd was right behind me and I felt I had to go for it.
“It just shows what a good job the course-builder (Guilherne Jorge) has done; every class has come down to the wire.”
The lead kept changing hands throughout the jump-off, in which 10 nations were represented. Michael Whitaker finished best of the British in third on Little Lady.
Ben Maher, who had just one fence down on Tripple X lll, remains the H & M Leading Rider with two days to go, but Cian O’Connor is breathing down his neck just one point behind, followed by Renault Masters heroine Laura Renwick.
Earlier in the evening, there was a particularly emotional moment during the Taittinger Household Cavalry Musical Ride when the piebald drum horse, Spartacus, was retired after 16 years of service. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as he was led out to “Auld Lang Syne”. He will now live at the Somerset home of his owner Claire Laverick.
To listen to an audio interview with Cian O’connor visit:
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/OLY_oconnor.mp3
Please click on the link(s) provided.
Laura Renwick.jpg
1weon0iftwu19.jpg "Scott Brash makes a long-awaited Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix win in Shanghai")
