Ros Canter, who currently sits in second aboard Zenshera said: “It’s a proper four-star test, with questions from start to finish. The first water comes up very quickly, particularly as you approach the first element around a blind bend — horses then need to look ahead in order to take on the step out to angled brush. Horses and riders need to be on it the whole way round.”
New Zealand rider Tim Price said: “I think the track is less intense than it was here last year, but the questions still come thick and fast, with the first two waters coming up early on the course and this section is also particularly twisty. You need a nice rhythm here to make the time.”
Phillip Dutton, agreed saying: “You need your horse to be thinking forward and listening for this course.”
Ireland’s Joseph Murphy explained: “The more I walk it, the stronger it seems. The first water will be influential and the twists and turns cause trouble here. The horse really needs to be taking you and as riders we will have to work with the feeling they give us. The fact that this course is mostly flat, I think is tougher on the horses — there is nowhere to let them have a breather running downhill. I think the time will be difficult to get and I hope it rides better than it walks.”
First-time Pau competitor Will Furlong pointed out that there are “lots of angles and corners horses could run past.”
“There’s not one particular fence that I think will catch people out — it’s very cleverly built with questions spread throughout the course. The organisers have done a fantastic job on the ground, watering and aerovating it. I think the first water will prove influential given how early it comes up.”
Horse & Hound Newsletter
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
Let’s take a look around what riders will be facing from 1.30pm this afternoon (12.30pm BST)…
Fence 1
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Fence 2
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Fence 3
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Fence 4
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Fence 5AB
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Fence 6
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Fence 7AB and 8
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Fence 9
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Fence 10
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Fence 11
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Fence 12
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Fence 13
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Fence 14
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Fence 15
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Fence 16AB
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Fence 17
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Fence 18
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Fence 19
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Fence 20
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Fence 21
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Fence 22
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Fence 23
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Fence 24AB and 25
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Fence 26
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Fence 27
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Fence 28
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Fence 29
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Fence 30
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Fence 31AB
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Fence 32
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Fence 33
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Fence 34AB and 35
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Fence 36
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Fence 37AB
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Fence 38
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Keep up-to-date with all the latest news and reports from Pau via horseandhound.co.uk, and don’t miss the full report in next week’s magazine (1 November)
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Former web features editor, point-to-point editor and digital racing editor
Gemma is an experienced journalist, who was a member of H&H staff from 2014 to September 2025. She is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at Epsom in August 2018. Gemma’s has reported from numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.
