Tim Price and Happy Boy. Photo by Libby Law Photography.
The great New Zealand horseman Tim Price has yet to add the Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials to his many accolades, but that could be about to change now that he has taken the lead in the CCI4*-L after cross-country with an exemplary round on Susan Lamb and Therese Miller’s Happy Boy.
“He was foot perfect,” said Tim, who is also lying eighth on CHIO 20. “I asked him quite a lot at fence five [the Blake Morgan Flyer] and he really stood off. I decided to take the long route at the top water at 15 [the James Hallam Insurance Brokers Water Complex] because he was travelling so beautifully. It’s a nice flowing course, especially if you ride up positively to the fences.”
The Dorset-based Kiwi, currently number seven in the world, has risen from fourth place after dressage to first with one of the fastest rounds of the day – just four seconds over the optimum time of 10 minutes 12 seconds. However, he does not have a show jumping fence in hand over German army rider and Blenheim debutant Jérôme Robiné, who has dropped one place to second with six time penalties on Black Ice.
“I was pretty happy with my round and I knew I was on the minute markers, but after the water [fence 15] at the top of the hill, I knew I needed to give my horse a breather,” explained Jerome.
It is all change at the top of the leaderboard. Fast, bold cross-country rounds have elevated Ireland’s Ian Cassells on Kellys Quality from 10th to third, Alexander Bragg (Ardeo Premier) from 26th to fourth and Aaron Millar (Count Onyx) from 20th to fifth. Daisy Berkeley, the 2006 winner, has moved up eight places to sixth on Diese Du Figuier and Zara Tindall rode a storming round on Classicals Euro Star to rise 20 places to seventh.
There were 46 clear rounds from the 75 cross-country starters, but only Irishman Padraig McCarthy, lying 15th on MGH Mr Messack, achieved the optimum time.
Germany’s Calvin Bockmann (The Phantom of the Opera) and Piggy March (Brookfield Future News) were both well placed going into cross-country, but had the misfortune to trigger the frangible rail at fence 17, the Isuzu Challenger. Jesse Campbell, who had been lying third on Diachello, retired after a run-out and there was a shock when Gemma Stevens, who looked set to take the lead with her committed riding on Jalapeno lll, had a frustrating glance-off at the penultimate fence.
Georgie Goss has retained her lead in the CCI4*-S for eight and nine-year-old horses with a beautiful clear showjumping round on Molly Fisher, Lucy Fleming and Samantha Wilson’s Kojak, a horse bought three years ago from the Netherlands, where he was competing only in dressage.
“I’ve been working with Ian Woodhead and Olivia Oakley, who was here to warm me up, and that has helped a great deal,” said Georgie, who now represents Ireland. “To have a two-point lead after dressage and show jumping at an event of Blenheim’s stature is amazing.”
For the U.S., Jenny Caras moved up to ninth place aboard Sommersby, adding 2.4 time penalties for a two-phase score of 34.6. Phillip Dutton and Denim remain in the top 20, adding 14.8 time penalties for a score of 40.7 and 19th overall ahead of show jumping.
The CCI4*-S cross-country action starts at 9.30am and the first section of CCI4*-L show jumping for the lower placed riders at 11.30am. Catch the exciting finales of both classes through Horse & Country. Keep track of live scores and results through Eventing Scores (www.eventingscores.co.uk). Tickets are still available to purchase at bpiht.co.uk
Blenheim Palace International H.T. (UK): [Website] [Entries] [Schedule] [Timing & Scoring] [H&C+ Live Stream]
