Release date: 03/09/2011 |    

Fifteen combinations of the forty one starters went through to jump-off in the Prefeitura da Cidade Rio de Janeiro 1.45 Winning Round class.

With Irish rider Denis Lynch and Night Train sitting in poll position the field set their sights on taking the risks for a fast clear to take some of the 50,000 euros set to be divided amongst the top few.

However, it was not the experienced Lynch who overshadowed the field but Swiss rider Steve Guerdat, second to last out on Nino des Buissonnets.  He was to chase down fellow Swiss young gun Janiker Sprunger.

Not afraid to mix it with the big boys, Janiker took no prisoners as she scooted around the track with JL’s Komparse. (below)

Having taken = second place in the Table A against the clock on the prior day the pair was on fire again this afternoon.

Out to beat clear fast rounds set earlier by Ludger Beerbaum (GER) with Coupe de Coeur (43.74) and Rolf-Goran Bengtsson (SWE) with Carusso LA La Silla (below) the young lady took all the risks with extreme confidence.  Janiker and Komparse flew around the remaining fences, clear in a time of 41.54 seconds.

Jos Lansink (BEL) proved that the scopey young eight-year-old stallion Prestige de Lanney is one horse set for a big future.  Electing to aim for a clear round resulted in success seeing them place 5^th with a slower time of 49.69 seconds but good enough to take 4,000 euros in prize money.

Swiss rider Pius Schwizer, with the more experience Ulysse, went in pursuit of Sprunger and was nearly a second faster (40.61).    The back rail of the tricky wide Coca Cola oxer hit the ground sending them to 6^th in the final standings as the fastest four faulter.

Above: Clear sailing for Guerdat over the Coca Cola oxer. However, many erred at this wide tricky fence of the competition.

The last part of the jump-off course was covered in a faster pace by Steve Guerdat who was already turning over the top of the fence coming out of the double before racing home in 40.58 seconds with Nino des Buissonnets. The ride looked amazingly accurate and certainly put pressure on Lynch as last to go.

And that it did, as attempts to be faster saw the back rail of the Coca Cola oxer bounce out and a further rail put them out of contention with Guerdat taking the first prize cheque for 13,000 euros. (left) Janika Sprunger picked up 10,000 euros for second place.

Interestingly Marco Kutscher elected not to jump-off with Cash, perhaps saving him for Sunday’s Grand Prix that sees 1 million euros on offer for the class.

Things start to really count for the GCT Rankings here in Rio de Janeiro.  Led by Australian Edwina Alexander she will be out to perform at her best to gain 9^th or better in the placings.  The best of seven scores count towards the final ranking, and at this point in the series drop scores take place after the Grand Prix of Brazil.  Ludger Beerbaum will always add points as he has one score of 0 that he can drop and Edwina has to drop her lowest score.

Scheduled to start at 21h00 CEST the entire competition can be viewed on the GCT Live Streaming.

Below: Ludger and Coupe de Coeur

Photo credits: Stefano Grasso/GCT