Can Ya Makan strides to a win
Shane Breen pilots the stallion with a ‘big future’ to a sensational victory, while two home-produced youngsters take top honours for Laura Renwick
TAKING strides out to the last fence is becoming a bit of a speciality for Shane Breen. The Hickstead-based Irishman did it from final draw at Monaco the previous weekend. At this show, he produced a jaw-dropping round from first to go in the jump-off to win another world ranking grand prix.
Kelvin Bywater designed a fittingly testing course for the 45 starters, and fences fell all around the course. Six made the jumpoff, although it could easily have been more, as three combinations finished on a single time-fault.
Team Z7’s Can Ya Makan was at his first show since winning Hickstead’s Derby trial and finishing third in the Derby itself, and Shane certainly made the most of the big 12-year-old Holsteiner’s enormous stride. They took one less stride than their rivals through the centre of the course and their long gallop down the ring to the huge final oxer was something to behold.
Billy Twomey tried everything on Ardcolum Duke, but finished just over half a second slower to make it an Irish one-two, with double clears from Kerry Brennan (Wellington M) and Simon Crippen (Temple Claudius), leaving them the best Brits in third and fourth spots.
Shane was delighted with Can Ya Makan. “He’s unbelievable,”
‘At nearly every show, he’s had a top-three placing in a big class’
said Shane. “He’s been going since January and at nearly every show he’s had a top-three placing in a big class.
“I knew I had to do something special to beat Billy, so I decided to gallop to the last. If I’d been a mile off when I got there, I’d just have kicked harder! I wasn’t about to take a pull,” added
Shane, who finished his show with a 1.35m win on Clintofino, a nine-year-old he owns with Chris Warren.
“He’s got a big future,” said Shane of the Holsteiner who came from Norway’s Gulliksen family.
THE BEST OF BRITS
THE other two major classes went to the home side. In Wednesday’s 1.45m two-phase, Jess Dimmock jumped the smoothest of winning rounds on Billy Blue Bell. The 10-year-old Billy Congo mare previously competed at five-star level with Victoria Gulliksen and Jess then took her to this year’s Spanish Sunshine Tour. After some outings with Jane Annett, Billy Blue Bell returned to Jess in time for the Bolesworth CSI4*.
“I’d love to keep the ride because she’s so careful and naturally quick,” said Jess.
Matt Sampson produced a masterful winning round in day one’s 1.40m speed competition on Jake Elliott’s Chacco Blue nineyear-old, Django Blue.
“He’s done some big classes recently and he’s been green against the clock, so I wanted to educate him and try some turns. It couldn’t have worked out better,” said the Yorkshireman.
Kayleigh Watts was another rider on top form, heading Tuesday’s 1.20m two-phase on Mandy Hall’s Winde and jumping an equally good winning round with Ebriolita in Wednesday’s 1.35m speed class.
Kayleigh has been an important part of Mandy’s team for more than 12 years and the 15-year-old Winde is among her favourites.
“She’s such a good girl. It’s her first show back after some time off, but she always tries her best,”