Chilli Morning clone wins with new rider: ‘There’s a bit of dynasty and intrigue’
The nine-year-old gelding won a British Eventing intermediate section at Little Downham
Chilli Morning III, one of three Chilli Morning clones, has moved to a new rider.
The nine-year-old gelding, owned by Chris and Lisa Stone, has switched from Alex Hua Tian to world number one Tim Price.
Chilli Morning III made his British Eventing debut in 2023 with Alex, who has produced him to three-star. Their last event together was the intermediate at Bishop Burton in May, where they finished 14th.
Tim took on the ride this autumn and their first event together was the open novice at Pontispool on 13 September. Two weeks later they were sixth in the open intermediate at Kelsall Hill.
Tim and Chilli Morning III have now enjoyed their first win, the intermediate A section at Little Downham on 7 October. They added 5.6 cross-country time-penalties to their 28.6 dressage to finish on 34.2.
“He’s cool, he’s my kind of horse,” Tim told H&H. “We’ve struck up a good partnership in a relatively short time. I’ve got to know him a bit and it’s a great finish to his season.
“Because he’s a fairly new ride, he’s going to have eight weeks off then come back into work and then maybe build up to a three-star long. He hasn’t done a lot really, Alex has done a great job producing him up to this stage and I intend to go out next year and have a good upward curve.”
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Tim said it was a “natural transition” to try Chilli Morning III with a new rider.
“He’s one of the Chilli clones so there’s quite a few people eyeballing him, seeing how he goes. There’s obviously a bit of a dynasty there and intrigue,” he said.
“I just treat him as another horse from that point of view. I really like him, he’s a big horse but he’s compact and he’s just quite normal. But I like his type and so far I’ve got on with him really well.”
The other Chilli Morning clones
Chilli Morning IV is enjoying a successful season with Gemma Stevens, having stepped up to four-star. The pair finished eighth in the Blenheim eight- and nine-year-olds and were 15th at Boekelo on 1 October.
Chilli Morning II is ridden by Germany’s Julia Krajewski. He won a CCI3*-S in Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy, in April, but has not competed internationally since May.
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Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.