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Funnycan — has been with him since last May and has just started to find her form.
“She hadn’t done a show when she arrived,” said Mark of the 17.1hh chestnut. “We first took her out at the end of the summer but she was a bit spooky and looked at everything, so we’ve hunted her a fair bit this winter. She loved that job and is good as gold with the hounds. She’s really altered in the past month and I think in another year she’ll be a really nice horse.”
Mark’s 1.35m victor, Tony and Bernice Hill’s nine-year-old Quidde Du Buisson Z, is coming into his prime this year, ending last year’s outdoor season with a win in the area trial at Thame. Having spent a quiet winter hacking with Bernice at their Pencoed base, the black gelding tackled his first show since October at Summerhouse before taking this win. Jumping from final draw in a six-strong jumpoff, they undercut a pathfinding lead from Olli Fletcher (Temple Rebus) by a full two seconds.
“He’s Bernice’s baby so it’s a good Mother’s Day present for her,” said Mark, who usually only jumps the horse at shows. “He’s still a bit off his best but he went well. I was able to see Olli go before me which helped. I knew my horse was naturally quicker than his.”
VOLO SPROUTS WINGS
CHLOE REYNOLDS’ prolific little winner Grenadier Volo was true to form, taking a breezy 6.46sec victory in the 1.20m winter seven-year-old qualifier. Bought as a three-year-old as Chloe’s first horse after ponies, the 15.1hh won the national six-year-old final at Stoneleigh at the end of last year and has been ticking off a list of Blue Chip qualifers on his limited outings over the winter.
It was Chloe’s second show since moving to a new base at Adam Botham’s two weeks ago, and her second win on the trot following a Blue Chip 1.25m victory at Solihull.
“He’s only done a handful of shows since Stoneleigh and every time out he’s won,” Chloe said. “I thought this class would be a nice drop down for him as we’re going to Bonheiden in Belgium in two weeks to do the seven-year-old classes. I thought we’ll be jumping big enough there, so he can have a step round this.”
The majority of the spring championship qualifiers attracted fewer than 15 entries — perhaps because of the qualifying opportunities available at the Addington final — but still produced competitive jumping.
The opening day’s winter grade C yielded four double clears for four qualifying slots, with the quickest round secured by Adam Ellery and Fairway. The eight-year-old is a relatively new acquisition for the Newquaybased rider, who acquired her in November from Henny Schennink in the Netherlands for owner Darren Juleff.
“It was the biggest she’s ever jumped, so I aimed for a clear but kept it economical,” said Adam, who will now aim the daughter of Baldwin B at second rounds. “She’s a very careful horse with a great technique and is a great trier — she’s everything you want, really. So far wherever we’ve taken her, a lot of people say they like her.”
‘She was a bit spooky, so we’ve hunted her this winter’ MARK EDWARDS