Zoe Adams and Satonamillion Photo courtesy Lotte Simons
Satonamillion gave Hickstead visitors their money’s worth today when winning the Amlin Plus Eventing Grand Prix for Zoe Adams, adding just five penalty seconds to their fast time of 185.66sec.
Zoe, 22, finished seventh in this class in 2011 and fifth in 2012, making it third time lucky for the Essex-based rider.
“The last couple years I’ve been close and I love this class, it’s such an adrenalin rush - the more times you do it, the hungrier you get to win it,” said Zoe. “This is his most prestigious win to date, and it’s always good to win in the International Arena at Hickstead.”
The gelding was originally bought to showjump but ended up eventing to two-star level. “He’s not a fan of the dressage, so we’re back to showjumping now,” Zoe said of Satonamillion, who got his name after his previous owner found a lottery ticket in the back of his pocket.
The Eventing Grand Prix, which is sponsored by bloodstock insurers Amlin, is a unique competition where showjumpers and eventers go head to head around a course of showjumps in the International Arena as well as cross-country fences around Hickstead’s estate, with 27 jumping efforts in total.
Zoe’s win made it two in a row for the showjumpers, with Ireland’s Trevor Breen having won last year on Adventure De Kannan.
Irish eventing riders Joseph Murphy riding Sportsfield Othello and Elizabeth Power riding Doonaveeragh O One took second and third places while New Zealand’s Caroline Powell brought the famous little grey Lenamore for a burn around the famous course to finish in fourth place.
Last year’s winner Trevor Breen rode Noble Bestman for British eventer Laura Collett who was recently injured whilst competing to finish in fifth place
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