TWO-HORSE TACTICS

ONLY one other rider in history has won the World Cup with two horses – the great Marcus Ehning in 2010 riding Noltes Küchengirl and Plot Blue. It’s not been a common strategy in recent times, with most riders preferring, or simply having no option but, to campaign a single horse throughout the week. Just three riders among the starting field of 35 opted to change horses – but it certainly appeared an effective strategy in Leipzig, with two of those three – Martin Fuchs and Harry Charles – finishing in the top four.

The obvious benefit is having a fresher horse come the final day; the downside being tackling the crucial second leg or perhaps even the third on a horse who has not yet had had an outing round a World Cup Final track.

“It’s very rewarding when a plan works out like this, trying something new, to save one of the horses by using your second horse,” said Martin. “It’s a huge privilege that I have such a good group of horses that allows me to do this.”

Harry joked that the only similarity between his two rides, Stardust and Romeo (pictured), is that they are both horses.

“Stardust is a very blood, quick mare whereas Romeo is a big, powerful, scopey jumper. It suited me to have Stardust for the speed leg as I could use her natural pace. Romeo is more suited to [the bigger fences in the later rounds],” he said.

“This was Romeo’s first really big show in a while, but he coped with it well; the atmosphere was very busy, but he doesn’t care about things like that. He’s a tough lad and he’ll get stuck in.”