Release date: 12/08/2011 |    

Italian course designer Uliano Vezzani provided the riders with an inviting track but the time wasn’t quite as forthcoming as many failed to reach it.

For those who did make the time set of 72 seconds eight combinations were clean with victory heading to British rider Ben Maher with the Gredley’s ‘Voske’.(above)

Guy Williams (GBR) who had set the early lead time of 65.57 seconds with Titus(below), as the third combination on course, and wasn’t tracked down until his fellow country man rode.  Ben steered the smart chestnut mare Voske to a time of 65.54 seconds and from there couldn’t be caught.

The open track was met mid field by a choice of riding five forward strides to the open water with vertical over or taking the six stride option to a vertical at 1.45m. Two double combinations and a reasonably tight approach to the Global Champions Tour wall at fence 7 were enough challenges for the 57 starters.

Laura Kraut (USA) was the next closest to the two Brits, with the chestnut mare Teirra (below) to be third in 66.06 seconds. “I wanted to keep the horse confident so rode rather steadily until I had jumped fence 7 and then opened up and was pleased with her,” commented Laura.  “I was conscious of the new surface and being the first class but it all went well and the surface rides good.”

Always happy for a win Ben commented on the relative newcomer to his team. “I have only had her for three months.  In fact, I have a group of inexperienced horses, all very good ones, but I need a good three months to really get going with them.”

“It is nice to have a win as I haven’t won for a while.  It is only the first class of the show but a win is a win and at these top shows it is very hard to get one.”  He further talked about the course. “It was a big track for the first class but it suited this mare.  She is forward going and relatively inexperienced.  Her big stride covers the ground and means that she can make up time easily on course.”

He also commented on the new surface. “The surface was perfect. The ground looked really good.  Okay, I had a slip turning up to one fence but she is greener and put it down to that.”

In all, the first 5* class on the busy three-day program was confidence building with familiarization of the fences and the new surface.

Photo credits: Stefano Grasso/GCT