Horse & Hound – 08 August 2019

34 Horse & Hound 8 August 2019

Pictures

by

Lucy

Merrell

and

Sportfot

SHOWJUMPING

Matt Sampson hasa birthdayvictory

and the Union flagfliesproudlyacross

allthreedaysofaction

Historic first win for

SPEED king Matt Sampson

signed and sealed what was an

all-round triumphant week for the

home side when he became the

first Brit to win London’s CSI2*

grand prix.

Most combinations couldn’t

get within shouting distance of

last year’s victor, Spencer Smith

of the USA, a protégé of Eric

Lamaze, on the 11-year-old mare

Idee-Fixe D’Exaerde. He posted a

staggeringly quick round early

LGCT LONDON

CSI2* classes

in the 13-strong jump-off that

lured the rest to fault, particularly

on the demanding second half

of the track. It was a course that

required a full house of scope,

speed, accuracy and bravery. With

multiple speed Derby victories

under his belt, Matt, riding the

talented eight-year-old Geneve R,

was shouldering British hopes in

final draw.

The Dutch gelding, jumping

only his second two-star grand Sienna Charles and Chinta Van Geluut Z top Sunday’s 1.30m

MattSampsonandGeneveR claim

the top spot in only the gelding’s

second two-star grand prix

t win for Sampson