Horse & Hound – 01 August 2019

1 August 2019 Horse&Hound 53

theBritswitha classyround,but
GuywasquickerwithRougeDe
Ravelexplodingofftheground
overthe1.50mcourse.
“Hisformis unbelievableatthe
moment,”saidGuy.“Hedoesn’thit
fencesreallyandif hedoesit’sjust
oneofthosethings.Therunhe’s
beenonsinceWindsoris amazing.
“TodayI wasn’tgoingatfull
tilt;he’ssofastandthecourse
reallysuitedhimwiththeturn-
backstoverticals.He’sthebest
horseforthat—that’showhe
winsasheis sosmoothatthose.”
TheSelleFrançaisstallion
wontwointernationalclasses
atHickstead’sDerbymeetingin
JuneandGuyexplainedhisgroom
anda carefully-plannedschedule
arekeytohissuccess.
“Youhavetogivehima
holiday,thenusehim—wehave
triedeverywayandthisseemsto
betheone:threeweekson,one
weekoff,” saidGuy,whois taking
the14-year-oldtotheLondon
LonginesGlobalChampionsTour
thisweek.
“Heneverjumpsathome,
andmygroomNatalieTinworth
rideshimallthetime—I never
ridehim.I thinkI usedtoannoy
him,thenweendedupwitha
fightgoingon.Thiswayseemsto
work—he’shappywithNatand
sherideshimeverydayandI do
thejobinthering.I thinkit is a
psychologicalthingwithhim.
“He’sdrivenabsolutely
madbytheponieshere—heis
a full-onstallionandfeistyto
handle,butthat’shismake-up.
Whenhe’sathisfeistiest is when
he’sathisbest.”

‘MYLUCKYDAY’

ELLENWHITAKER’Sforward
paceandcommittedturnsaboard
theLocarno 62 mareDiolawere
rewardedwitha winintheBemer
speedclassic.
The pair, drawn 17th of 19

starters,madelightworkofthe

sharproll-backfromsixtoseven.

Ellenpushedforwardsalongthe

curvinglinetofencenine,wasting

notimeinthe180°turn-backto

thefinallineandlandingoverthe

lasttoapplausefromthestands.

“It’sa lovelywinfora few

reasons,”explainedEllen,whohad

muchsuccessasa youngriderand

whenshemadethemovetosenior

competition,buthadsometime

outfromthehighestlevelafter

havinghertwosons.

“Onebecauseit hasbeena

trickyrouteback,twobecause

she’sa home-bredmareandthree

becauseherhalf-sisterLavarno

alsowonit withJoeWhitakertwo

yearsago.BotharebyLocarno,

whowasa bigpartofmylife,so

towina classintheInternational

Arenaonhisdaughteris lovely.

Helovedthatarena,andhis

offspringobviouslydo,too.”

Ellen added that she was

Ellen Whitaker and Diola take victory in the Bemer speed classic

Guy Williams and Rouge De Ravel take their ninth international win since May in the Bunn Leisure trophy

ITISMYDREAMTOBEHERE

BRAZILIANriderThiagoRibasdaCostaclaimedtheOldLodge

internationalseven-andeight-year-oldchampionshipwiththe

on-formManoNegraVanDeBucxtale.

Thenippygreysecuredoneofonlytwodoubleclears,takinga

forwardstrideonthecurvinglinefromthegatetothefinaloxerto

winbyclosetofourseconds.

OwnedbyEcuriedaCosta,theseven-year-old(MylordCarthago

xConcorde)wasscoringhisfifthinternationalwinthisyear.

“It’sunbelievabletohavea winintheInternationalArenaat

Hickstead—it is mydreamtobehere,”saidThiagothroughtears.

“He’sreallybig-stridingandquick;he’sfastenoughsoI don’tneed

topushhim.He’sreallyclever—onthefirstdayhecanbea little

fresh butonthelasthe’salwaysgreat.”

GeorgiaTameandthebig-stridingHarvey,by

QuapriceZ,setthestandardwitha speedyclear,

finishingsecondoverallandhighest-placedBrit.

GallianoVM,partneredbyUSriderLauraKraut,

was the highest-placed eight-year-old in fourth.

ONETO

WATC H

helpedbyherlatedraw.

“Itriedtotakeeachoneasit

came,savetimewhereI couldand

dowhatI knewmyhorsecould

do,”shesaid,addingit is greatto

feel“athome”intheInternational

Arenaagain.“Ihada reallygood

shottothissecond-lastthat

everybodyseemedtobehaving

downandit wasmyluckyday.I

feelgoodinthereagain.”

Belgium’sJosVerlooyand

newrideJacobienDwerseHagen

postedthefastestjump-offtime

byjustover0.5secinSaturday’s

Bunn Leisure salver.

The10-year-oldmareflowed

effortlesslythroughherquick

turnstobumpRobertoTurchetto

andAdareintosecond.Ireland’s

MichaelDuffy andCasisfinished

third,withHarrietNuttallandA

TouchImperiousbestoftheBrits

inseventh.

“She’sa fairlynewhorseforme

andwearereallystartingtocome

togetherasa combination—I’m

startingtoknowwhichbuttonsto

press,”saidJos.“She’snaturallyso

fastthatI don’tliketowatchtoo

manyotherrounds.I’mluckyto

have her and this is just the start.”