Tom McEwen and Strike Smartly
CCI3*
The optimum time proved influential in the CCI3* at the Land Rover Blair Castle International Horse Trials with just four combinations making it, including Elizabeth Power and Samuel Thomas who were one of several to pick up 20 penalties around the track.
The top three remained unchanged after dressage and were the only three to finish cross-country day on their dressage scores. In-form Tom McEwen, last out on track with Strike Smartly, still heads the leader board on a two-phase score of 26.9.
“He was absolutely phenomenal,” said Tom after his round. “He was straight as a die and cruised round. There were a lot of questions out there and he really helped me out at the road bridge going into the Lochan as I was a bit off there.”
Tom also sits fourth with the section’s cross-country trailblazer, the big and rangy Figaro Van Het Broekxhof
Izzy Taylor and Director General
Izzy Taylor posted a trademark swift round with Director General, a horse having its first run at this level, and sits less than a penalty behind the leaders, leaving them no room for error in tomorrow’s final phase. New Zealand’s Tim Price alsoproduced a very classy clear round bang on the optimum time with Pats Jester to lie third.
Tim Price and Pats Jester
While several combinations picked up penalties at various points around Alec Lochore’s track, Arthur Duffort and Toronto D’Aurois’ 0.8 time penalties elevated them up the leader board from 24th after dressage to ninth.
CCI2*
Tom McEwen also remains in contention in the CCI2*. His clear round inside the time with CHF Cooliser, aka Eliza, keeps the pressure on overnight leaders Piggy French and Cooley Monsoon going into Sunday’s final show jumping phase. The pair go forward on a two-phase score of 28.7, less than a show jump behind Piggy and ‘Eddie’ on 25.1.
“She was super,” admitted Tom. “I was a bit worried that Gatcombe a couple of weeks ago would have taken it out of her a bit as she’s still young and needs to strengthen up, but not at all. This was a very different test for her – she hasn’t seen water as big as this before or as many crowds around water, but she coped really well.”
Tom McEwen and CHF Cooliser
Piggy and Eddie also added nothing to their dressage score, coming home six seconds inside the optimum time. “He covers the ground well but I have to work hard to keep his adrenalin up,” admitted Piggy. “He’d be quite happy to cruise around in second or third gear having a lovely time.”
She was complimentary about the track and the role it plays in horses’ educations: “Blair has good, old-fashioned cross-country tracks and today was a good bridge between Eddie’s last 2* at Tattersalls and what our plans are for him next.”
Piggy French and Cooley Monsoon
Piggy also sits third with Castletown Clover on 30.7.
Matthew Heath and Lockroy retain the fourth place they held after dressage, with Emilie Chandler occupying fifth and sixth places on Jemilla and Gortfadden Diamond (below) respectively.
The track generally rode well; the biggest casualties in terms of leader board placing being Polly Stockton and Drummer who slipped from third to 26th after collecting 20 penalties at 20b, the second of two corners.
CCI1*
James Avery and Seaflower
New Zealand’s James Avery and the Scottish-bred Seaflower retained the lead they have held since Thursday, coming home clear inside the time in the CCI1* to go forward to tomorrow’s final show jumping phase on 25.2
“She was just super,” enthused James. “She’s still pretty inexperienced and that was certainly the biggest track she’s seen so she had a good look at everything – particularly the ditches. She’s never run across country for nine minutes before but she just kept on coming. She’s usually a reliable show jumper so I’m quietly confident but we’ll see how tired she is.”
James Avery
Aimee Penny and Serenade III retain second place on their dressage score of 28.3. “She came out of the start box like a rocket and answered all the questions,” said Aimee. “I was most worried about her stamina but she’ll have come on a hell of a lot here and learnt to have dug deep.”
Nicola Wilson is sitting pretty in third, fourth and sixth with the young trio of Elite Jaguar, JL Dublin and All We Need.
The vast majority of combinations came home inside the optimum time of nine minutes in what, for many, was their first CCI competition. There’s still all to play for in tomorrow’s show jumping phase which starts at 11.40am with less than one fence between the top five competitors
