A Fox Grant one-two

FOX GRANT DOT COM were victorious, chalking up a one-two with Fox Grant Dot Com Too.

After a two-year gap and plenty of TLC, the Sulgrave hedges at the Grafton have grown thicker and more imposing – the championship qualifier belying its reputation as a “soft open”.

Fox Grant Dot Com set off with intent, switching team order as they went. With some of the biggest hedges looming, yells for Anna Stone and Boyce to go up front could be heard, and she took them over a double-lane crossing and substantial drop – sweeping right-handed on landing. Jamie Goss and Phil Nichols ran fast upsides over the last upstanding hedge, Will Grant following them to complete their round.

“My horse goes best if he sits behind for the first few fences, but can then really run on to home,” explained Anna.

Fox Grant Dot Com Too was something of a scratch squad, but Will Grant used the experience of team chasers Heather Moodie and Taunton Vale joint-master Mark Heuff, plus the youthful drive of Zack Davidson to great effect over the twists and turns.

They took the runner-up slot by less than half a second from Team Ride Away 1, and secured qualification for next spring’s national championship.

Zack, who recently swapped racing duties for driving for Lambourn Racehorse Transport, said: “I’d done intermediates with another team, but this is a different gear. My horse, Remarkable Man, ran in chases and point-to-points and likes to sit in that second slot.”