James Avery maintains his lead on Vitali in the CCI2* 7YO class but it's very close at the top of the leader board
You have to scan all the way down to 13th place to see any change on the leader board in the CCI1* 6YO class after yesterday’s cross country with the top 12 after dressage all jumping double clear around Pierre Michelet’s track designed to encourage and produce the best from these young horses at the start of what will hopefully be long careers
As expected Izzy Taylor and Monkeying Around produced a beautiful round in the sunshine to stay on top with a score of 37.6 but she is going to have plenty of pressure on her when she canters into the show jumping arena tomorrow. Paul Tapner, in second place on Bob Chaplin, is only 0.5 penalties behind her and third placed Esib Power on DSL The Entertainer, finishing cross country bang on the optimum time of 8’56”, are 3.4 penalties behind.
Paul Tapner and Bob Chaplin
Sarah Bullimore and Corouet are on the same score as Esib but in fourth place (Sarah tried hard to emulate Esib’s finish but just missed, finishing in 8’55”!) so there is no rail in hand between the top four
Izzy is no stranger to pressure and this pair have jumped clear at their last two international starts, but they added one time penalty at Osberton which would bring Izzy unstuck here. No doubt she will be moving on tomorrow, especially if Paul, who has also jumped clear at the last two international starts, puts the pressure on
Sarah and Esib’s horses have both picked up penalties in the show jumping in their recent competitions so we may see much more movement on the leader board tomorrow. All horses also have to pass the second horse inspection, after one of the biggest tests of their competition lives so far ............
Four combinations were eliminated and Dan Jocelyn withdrew Lissegan Rory prior to cross country while the USA’s Elizabeth Halliday on Cooley Quicksilver picked up 11 penalties for breaking a frangible device at 17a. Dan also withdrew Fjury in the CCI2* so we hope all is okay
Chris Burton and Lawtown Boy
Last year Chris Burton found himself in fourth place after cross country on Fire Fly in the CCI1* 6YO Championship but they ended up winning thanks to a clear round. This year he is in the same position in the CCI2* class on board Lawtown Boy, having moved up from fifth after the dressage with a double clear cross country ride.
Love Vitali's tail!
New Zealand’s James Avery held onto the lead (43.6) with Vitali but added 1.6 time penalties, narrowing the gap between him and the second placed Mary King on King Robert (44.3) and Chris is just a smidge behind on 44.4 so it’s going to be tense tomorrow! In fact there is less than one rail between the top nine, making for an exciting finale
Mary King and King Robert
With many in the class producing double clear rounds, time penalties were expensive with Jean Lou Bigot dropping from second to eighth due to 2.4 penalties while Stephanie Bohe and Classic Royetta, third after dressage, retired on course and sixth place Tom Carlile picked up 20 penalties at unlucky Fence 13 on ATOS Barbotiere, dropping them to 39th
With the more testing course for the 7YO class there were a few more problems but it still flowed well. Fence 15c was the bogey fence, catching out Harry Meade on Cavalier Crystal, Fiona Breach on WFS Cathargo and Alice Pearson on Jack The Ginger. No doubt they all thought the same sentiment as Alice expressed when it happened
James and Vitali had one rail down when they won at Gatcombe but they don’t have that luxury here however King Robert and Lawtown Boy have also dropped a rail in recent competitions.
Astier’s Alertamalib’or hasn’t competed much this year due to Astier’s broken leg but he is the only horse in the top 10 that hasn’t had a jumping fault in three international competitions in 2016 and 2017 but at the end of the day we just have to wait and see how it all plays out ...........
Australia's Ben Leahy riding Feloupe jumped double clear for 12th place and Sammi Birch on The Kincooley Ceili added 5.6 time, currently in 23rd place
