Eventing Gatcombe, Richmond and highlights
A mare back from injury secures the spoils for Tom Jackson in the blue riband event, while there is an international flavour to several national classes
ALICE TRACEY handed victory to Tom Jackson and Dusty II at the 11th hour in the CIC2*. Going into the reverse-order showjumping on an impressive two-phase score of 21.8 and with a one-fence cushion, the Wirral-based rider and her 16.2hh gelding, Freedom Hill, used up their lifeline at the first fence. Then, when another pole thudded to the turf, the pair was forced to settle for second.
Dusty II, meanwhile, lived dangerously and rattled a few, but the poles stayed in their cups.
“She’s usually a good showjumper,” Tom said of the daughter of El Bundy, on only her second outing in 12 months after a layoff with a leg injury.
“I’m surprised. I didn’t expect to win,” confessed the Ashford
rider. “I wasn’t planning to go particularly fast across country, but she felt awesome. She was so smooth that we didn’t waste time anywhere.”
The mare was bought as a rising five-year-old by Ian and Suzie Jenkins for Tom to ride, and she is now bound for the Waregem CICO3*, a return to the level she had been contesting before her layoff.
Alice Tracey, meanwhile, confessed she was surprised with her leading dressage mark of 21.8.
“Freedom Hill is very consistent and relaxed. He knows the test and is confident with all the moves,” she said, revealing the secret of the score that left her streets ahead of the field of 86 until those two poles fell.
Alice has been based with Paul Sims and Hannah Bate in Cheshire for two and a half years and she travelled with the competitive couple to the Gloucestershire venue with her seven-year-old Irish Sport Horse purchased via Hayden Hankey.
Alex Bragg took home a clutch of rosettes, his best placings coming in the two-star courtesy of King Of The Mill, third, and a win in one of the four intermediate sections aboard the eight-year-old mare Quindiva.
BEATING THE BRITS
TWO of the other intermediates and one of the open intermediates (OI) had a distinctly international flavour. Brazil’s Carlos Parro enjoyed an 11.2-penalty winning margin in intermediate section G with Goliath III; Italian Paolo Torlonia claimed section D (see box, above); while America’s
Liz Halliday-Sharp (Cooley Quicksilver) beat Izzy Taylor and Lux Zen in OI section F.
“He’s a unique horse and probably the weirdest one I’ve ever had,” said Liz of the grey 16.3hh Cooley Quicksilver, whom she purchased through Richard Sheane.
“He can even turn round and scratch the top of his tail. He’s always in your face, following you round,” added Liz. “It’s as though he’s been hand-reared. He’s been very green and he nearly bucked me off in the dressage warm-up at our first few events last year, but I really adore him.”
Liz, returning to Gatcombe after a decade’s absence, found the event little changed.
“The ground was fantastic and the cross-country different to tracks I’ve seen lately, with
hedge crossings, fences in woods and some strong questions,” she added. “My horses all came away stronger, having learnt a lot.”
Izzy Taylor may have lost out to Liz in section F, but she took home two winner’s sashes, from OI section H aboard Monkeying Around, last year’s six-year-old champion at Le
Lion d’Angers, and intermediate section C with The Lancer Stud’s Fonbherna Lancer.
“‘Lance’ only came to me in July,” said Izzy of the horse previously piloted by Richard Jones and Neil Spratt. “He hasn’t done that much, but he moves nicely, he’s a careful showjumper and he felt great across country. He’s really starting to feel like one of mine now.”
Meanwhile, “Monkey” — who Izzy purchased when he came into her yard to be sold on — is set to return to his happy hunting ground in France.
“He’s been cheeky this season, but he’s hugely talented,” said Izzy. “It’s been great to have this run, which should set him up nicely for Le Lion.”
A sub-30 score gave Giovanni Ugolotti the red rosette in the CIC* aboard the Irish-bred six-year-old Penhill Celtic, the pair heading 100 other horses in a class that had been quite heavily balloted.
Giovanni found “Donald” at Penhill Farm and then brokered a deal with amateur Italian rider Andrea Vecchi. However, Andrea found the 17hh gelding by Je T’Aime Flamenco too tricky and sent him to Giovanni to ride while still retaining ownership.
“He’s a big horse and he’s been struggling with balance, but the hope is to get to Le Lion d’Angers,” said Giovanni.
The medics moved little during three days of action, although there were five falls around Mark Phillips’ 24-fence CIC2* crosscountry course.
Alice Pearson found herself facing an operation for a shattered eye socket and fractured cheek-bone after being decanted from Calcourt Quantum at fence 3, the Protexin Log Pile, while contesting intermediate section E.