Oliver Townend and Cillnabradden Evo have a good lead in the CCI2*
Well, we did point out on Thursday that one to watch would be Oliver Townend riding Cillnabradden Evo and guess who is leading the CCI2* at Osberton?
Oliver and the nine year old Irish Sport Horse led after the dressage phase on a cracking score of 26.3 and stayed on that number after the cross country – indeed the top 20 after cross country all jumped double clears around Stuart Buntine’s course. There were plenty however who picked up penalties further down the leader board including the second placed combination after dressage, France’s Stanislas De Zuchowicz who incurred 20 penalties at Fence 13, unlucky for many on this course with 18 riders picking penalties here.
Nicola Wilson and Ngong Hills
The top 10 in this class is now an all British affair with Oliver in first and sixth, William Fox-Pitt in second on Ramdam de Mons and fourth on Secret Night, Nicola Wilson on Ngong Hills in fourth, Pippa Funnell in fifth, seventh and ninth, Paul Sims in eighth and Gemma Tattersall in 10th place. While Oliver has a good lead of 9.2 penalties over William (and Cillnabradden Evo has not had more than four show jumping faults in his international eventing career) there is less than one rail between the second and eighth placed riders, making for an exciting finale on Sunday
Tanya Kyle riding Gortfadda Diamond (above) and Alex Postolowsky riding Akolien (below)
It is also a British top three in the CCIC1* with Tanya Kyle, Alex Postolowsky and Kitty King in a very tight trio at the top. Tanya riding Gortfadda Diamond and Alex riding Akolien are still both on 37.2 penalties but Tanya is in the top spot after cross country while Kitty riding Creevagh Cooley (below) is in third place on 38.6. Kitty, who has jumped some pretty cool clear rounds at Blenheim and Blair recently will certainly be putting the pressure on Tanya and Alex.
Belgium’s Stephanie D'Andrimont breaks the British hold in fourth place riding Creevagh Miss Ferro, a seven year old mare by the same sire as Cillnabradden Evo, Creevagh Ferro, while her compatriot Constantin Van Rijckevorsel dropped from fourth place to 11th with just four time penalties. Young British rider Harriet Upton has moved up a couple of places into eighth place with a good round on Dramatic Effect, a lovely horse we spoke to Harriet about in our interview with her at Chilham Castle, and Kiwi Jock Paget is also now in the top ten on Optimus Prime II.
The CICYH1* (6YO) and CIC2* (7YO) classes completed their dressage and show jumping on Saturday and head out on cross country tomorrow and once again it is very much a ‘Who’s Who’ of British eventing dominating the top ten of these classes with the exception of Italy’s Vittoria Panizzon and Ireland’s Austin O’Connor.
The delightful Vittoria, who won the 7 Year Old class here with Borough Pennyz, is in seventh place of the CICYH1* on Super Cillious and eighth on One Night Love in the CICYH2* while Austin is tenth on Colorado Blue the CICYH1*. But it is a top class triumvirate at the top with Pippa Funnell in the lead in the 1* on Billy Walk On (33.90), William Fox-Pitt in second riding Little Fire (39.6) and Piggy French riding Jump Jet II (40.3) in third place.
William is also in third place in the CICYH2* riding Dynasty, Emily King is in second place on Dargun (45.6) and Willa Newton maintains her lead on Caja 20 (45.5) so time will be very important on the cross country phase tomorrow
And while there are no Australians at the top of these classes, let's take a look at a few who are competing
Sadly Taperz lost his lead in the CICYH1* but is 41st on CounterParty in the CCI2*
Australia's Stephen Way riding Da Vinci Beekhoeve in the CCI1*
Matching overreach boots seems to be an Australian thing - Lucinda Fredericks and Cos I Will in the CCI2*
