Four British horses withdrawn before final trot-up at Pau, including podium contender
Izzy Taylor withdraws both of her remaining rides before the final trot-up at Pau, besides a couple more Brits, leaving a field of 29 to showjump
Izzy Taylor was the highest placed rider to drop out of contention on Sunday morning at the Pau final trot-up. She withdrew Jane Timmis’ five-star debutant SBH Big Wall from overnight sixth.
The pair had produced a lovely round over Pierre Michelet’s influential track on Saturday, clocking 9.6 time-faults to move up from ninth.
Izzy also did not present her mare PSH Encore, who was lying 21st.
Two other British horses, Stephen Heal’s Hisco, and Heidi Coy’s MGH Jessica were also withdrawn before the Pau final trot-up.
Five-star newcomer Hisco, owned by The Knight Syndicate, was in 18th after logging a clear cross-country round. He has a swollen front fetlock.
“So gutted that Hisco doesn’t get to complete his first 5* after the amazing job he did yesterday!” Stephen posted. “He will be fine just sadly not for today and after what he did for us yesterday it wouldn’t be fair to try! His wellbeing has to come first like all the horses! He’s super happy and confused why he’s not being plaited to trot up but I’m excited after yesterday for what he’ll hopefully do in the future.”
Heidi also gave an update: “[MGH Jessica] unfortunately punctured her elbow, we think from a stud, and it’s sore this morning so we decided to save her for another day as she is so precious to us all,” posted Heidi, who had a couple of run-outs on cross-country.
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“The exciting thing to take away is there is definitely another five-star run in the future.”
This left 29 to present before the ground jury (James Rooney, Judy Hancock and Laure Eslan) for the final trot-up.
First on to the runway, Moroccan rider Noor Slaoui’s horse Cash In Hand was sent to the hold box, but passed on reinspection.
All horses were accepted – including the full complement of six horses from Team Price.
This leaves Tim Price and Jarillo holding his lead of two penalties over Bubby Upton (Its Cooley Time) ahead of showjumping. Jonelle Price sits in third with Senor Crocodillo, with less than a rail covering the podium.
Tim and Jonelle Price each have two horses in the top six for the final phase, which starts at 2.30pm (1.30pm British time).
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Martha is an experienced journalist who is mad-keen on horses and dogs. Her reporting CV includes the Paris Olympics, European championships, Aachen World Equestrian Festival and World Cup finals. After growing up with assorted liver and white springer spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs. Now, her constant companion is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually muddy black and white springer. Martha has written on topics as diverse as a top horse’s clone to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural matters for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph alongside Horse & Hound.