Jane Annett and Cullawn Diamond scored one of their best-ever victories when they headed the Osborne Refrigerators Derby Trial at Hickstead.
The Sevenoaks-based rider has scored many great wins at the venue in the past on her mare Pipakie — who is now retired and hopefully in-foal — but she has been slowly producing the Irish-bred nine-year-old Cullawn Diamond, who rewarded her for her patience today.
The 35 starters found trouble all around the 13-fence course and only the winners and the in-form Damian Charles could answer every question. And when Damian and Romulus rolled a pole in the jump-off, the door was left open for Jane.
Cullawn Diamond, who jumped on his first Nations Cup team in Lummen a fortnight before, was foot-perfect again, earning Jane the £2,500 first prize.
Jane is being helped at the show by Duncan Inglis and she will take his advice on whether to jump Cullawn Diamond in Sunday’s Derby.
“I think the answer may be no. He’s a little young and inexperienced to cope this time, but I’ll take Duncan’s advice. He’s been brilliant,” she said.
This was Jane’s second International Arena victory today, as she headed the earlier grade C championship on Renkum L’Attitude.
Guy Williams (Dutch Treat and Mister White) shared the four-year-old title with Ben Maher on Safarie, while Heide Luck and Rolex jumped the sole clear to win the five-year-old equivalent and Henry Turrell’s incredible season continued with victory in the Aon Six-Year-Old Championship on Cisco.
