Cross country day at Red Hills didn’t get off to the best start with the intermediates having all sorts of trouble in their division. However as the day went on and the more experienced horse/rider combinations came out the results sheet began to look a bit more healthy; you can find all the scores here. Clayton Fredericks, overnight leader of the CIC** had a fall in the water with Sorrento – he tweeted that he missed his stride and fell off, and then later had a stop on his 5th placed horse. Marilyn Little, lying first and second in the CIC3* had some time faults on the leading horse and a fall on RF Demeter. Added to that were numerous stops, run-outs and a couple more falls. Jenny Caras’ Fernhill Stowaway tripped over the log coming out of the Appalachia Bay, the water which caused the most trouble, and fell fairly heavily. Jenny did get up immediately afterwards but there was a substantial hold while medics checked her out, and she was then taken to hospital for observation.
Phillip Dutton and Bruce Duchossois’ Mighty Nice, “He’s actually a pretty cool horse; he’s so confident in himself he’s bordering on being arrogant on the cross country, he has a great sense of what he can do. He’s a huge horse but he’s very, very clever, he can pat the ground very easily and grows an extra leg if I maybe misjudge things a little bit. It’s rewarding for me to have an up-and-coming horse like this that’s owned by Bruce Duchossois who’s supported me for a long time.”
Phillip Dutton made his intentions for the big Spring Three Days clear by storming round the Red Hills CIC*** xc course to win and taking sixth place on Atlas for good measure. He said he’ll run them next at The Fork, very quietly, and then it’s full steam ahead to Kentucky.
Jennie Brannigan finished very slightly slower than her boss for 4th place on Cambalda, “With Ping my goal was to go out and be quick and not run his legs off, and I think I did that today. I am so happy for Phillip and it’s so nice to genuinely feel that sort of admiration for the person you work for. Don’t get me wrong, I love to win but I’m so happy for him; he’s a master at this, there’s so much more that I still have to learn from him. I think he was really happy for me and Ping this weekend, and obviously he’s been really helpful with Indie too.” Jennie will take both these horses to The Fork next and suggested that she’ll probably run Ping (Cambalda) for time there to get a level on his fitness before he heads to Rolex.
Marilyn Little filled the number two spot with her lovely grey gelding Smoke on the Water, at his very first outing this year, but had an unfortunate run-in, literally, with a tree early on course with RF Demeter and so retired,
“The course was typical Red Hills, difficult to make the time but I thought it was a great challenge with a lot of variety. I loved the direction the course took this year compared to last year, I thought it made for a much better flow and I think the horses really felt the benefit of that, it was a lot more galloping and open in the beginning. I was really pleased with the way Smoke went. Demeter warmed up great and started out the best I’ve ever felt her. I landed from Fence 6, and not for love nor money could I avoid the tree in front of me, she dove straight into it, hurled a bit to the left and I hit the tree.” Marilyn hung on and got dragged for a little while because she didn’t want to let go, “She would have looked like Seabiscuit coming down to the water without a rider!” and when I asked if she was ok, (she was limping very slightly) she laugher, “You should see the tree!” Marilyn will now have to adjust her galloping schedule and perhaps delay her return to Wellington as she was only on course for about a minute. Marilyn will also head to The Fork next and then Demeter is headed for Rolex
Buck Davidson and Ballynoe Castle RM were the last combination on course in the CIC*** Adequan Gold Cup Series PRO Tour division, and despite giving it a good go, they came home with just under five time penalties to finish 3rd. Buck blamed himself for not winning, and added that he thinks Reggie should win every time he goes out because he’s that good, “I made so many mistakes at this weekend I just can’t believe it. I was on the best horse and I didn’t do what I was supposed to do. It’s just how it goes. I think it was an exciting day having him be last to go and be in with a chance, I think it was good for the crowds, I know the (owners) Carl and Cassie Segal loved it. I tried. He’s obviously not a thoroughbred horse and not the fastest horse, but he is as honest as they come and he gave me an unbelievably special ride, as he does pretty much every weekend. I always feel like he’s just the best horse and he should win every single time! I always feel like I let him down, but I’m very proud of Reggie and you can’t win them all.”
Selena and A First Romance
Selena O’Hanlon was on fire around this course, with the only two rides inside the time on Foxwood High for 5th and A First Romance for 12th; she was also clear and very quick on Bellaney Rock who ended up 10th. Selena has to pick and choose her events carefully as she and her mother are funding the running of both A First Romance and Foxwood High, and she said she’s been targeting Red Hills and always intended to run quickly, “I love Red Hills, I love fighting for the time; although the course feels like you do a lot of looping there’s actually tons of places to make up time.” Between that and the excellent footing, Selena explained, she was able to really make use of the galloping stretches, and I’ll add that I saw her on each horse and she’s thinking about accelerating away from the fence, talking and clucking to her horses, urging them on, the instant they land.
Lots more from the CIC*** to come later, as well as from some of the Advanced and CIC** horses. For now, though a huge thank you to all the riders, grooms, volunteers and organisers.
