Newly crowned Burghley champion Oliver Townend has powered into provisional second in the young horse CCI4*-S Blenheim Horse Trials dressage results with the ascending star Cooley Rosalent.
The elegant mare, owned by Paul Ridgeon, set her campaign off to a strong start with the best test in Friday’s contingent in the eight- and nine-year-old class. Their score of 24.7 is the same mark as Brookfield Future News and Piggy March produced on Thursday, putting them equal second in the Blenheim Horse Trials dressage results at this stage.
Cooley Rosalent, a nine-year-old by Valent and out of Roselier mare Bellany Jewel, looked a picture in the morning sunshine, with the judges broadly in agreement on her mark.
She scored silver at the six-year-old young horse World Championships in 2020, was seventh in the seven-year-old class the following year, and comes to Blenheim with multiple top international results plus the experience of a five-star under her belt.
The scores are tight in this competitive class, which has a history of serving as a stepping stone for horses on the road to future five-star and championship glory. The top 23 horses in this 95-strong class all start the jumping phases on sub-30 dressage scores.
Thursday’s leaders Tom McEwen and MHS Brown Jack, owned by Fred and Penny Barker, have held their top spot. But just 0.1 of a penalty separates them from Cooley Rosalent and Brookfield Future News, who is owned by Alison Swinburn and John and Chloe Perry.
Tim Price now has two horses in the top 10, with CHIO 20 (25.1) edging ahead of stablemate Jarillo (26.7). The duo hold provisional fourth and fifth respectively.
“I was very pleased, because this is his first advanced test and it’s nice to get into some movements where they help everything,” said Tim, explaining the step up between three- and four-star.
“It’s nice to put him into a shape and make him go sideways, because it is improving him. So I’ve been looking forward to this stage.”
The “BFG” nine-year-old, who Tim owns with Diane Brunsden, Peter Cattell, and Lucy and Ben Sangster, is one of three exciting prospects the New Zealand world number two has in this class.
Blenheim Horse Trials dressage results: ‘He knows he is king of the yard’
Storm Straker and Fever Pitch bounded into sixth, with their classy performance earning the pair a score of 27.
“I felt a bit of pressure, only because it’s a big championship and you want to do well, don’t you?” said Storm, who combines riding with her job in insurance.
Storm has produced this Tannenhof’s Farenheit son from a four-year-old. He has not always been easy, owing to his sensitivity, but patience and training is reaping rewards.
“He really trusts me now and he’s really started showing character in the past year, which is really nice,” said Storm, riding for her mother Victoria Straker. “He has come out of his shell. He’s special. We adore him. He knows he’s king of the yard; he’s got a great character, and it’s really nice that he’s shining.”
Stephen Heal and the flashy, people-loving chestnut Quidam De Lux impressed the judges to earn a score of 27.5 and sit seventh after dressage.
“He’s done plenty of good tests and generally always does; he just sometimes struggles with the contact a little. Today he felt mostly on-side. We always win the warm up!” said Stephen, with a smile.
“He’s naturally quite lazy, so I don’t want to be on him for very long. But you need long enough to get all the gears working. It’s been a case of playing around, and it feel like on the whole, we got it right today.”
Ireland’s Clare Abbott and the nine-year-old Mr Mighty, who she owns by Cormac and John McKay, showcased glorious canter work to spring into contention, scoring 27.9 for provisional eighth in the Blenheim Horse Trials dressage results. They are the highest of four combinations on the same score at this stage, split by collectives.
“He has so many gears and he is so powerful. It’s about keeping that toned, as he would like to do tempi changes and fancier stuff,” she said.
“The cross-country course looks great. It’s definitely built with the eight- and nine-year-olds in mind – it is progressive in size and difficulty, and it gives the horses every opportunity to build up into it.”
Susan Lamb and Therese Miller’s Jutopia, piloted by Australia’s Sammi Birch, is in ninth. Caroline Harris and D Day complete the top 10.
“He wants to do everything correctly, so the stronger he’s getting, the more I can show him off,” said Caroline, who rides the nine-year-old Billy Mexico son for Fiona Olivier, Lucy Matthews, Marie Anne Richardson and Heather Royle.
The CCI4*-S showjumping starts at 8am tomorrow (16 September), concluding with cross-country on Sunday (17 September).
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