1. Remarkable jumping at Hickstead – without a bridle
There are not many horses and riders who could jump the famous Hickstead planks with no bridle – but Silver Lift and Harriet Biddick did just that in the British Speed Derby. The 18-year-old gelding and Harriet were challenging for a fourth win, when the horse’s bridle came off between the bank and the triple. The pair jumped through the triple anyway, the penultimate fence, and for a moment it looked as if they might also clear the last oxer, but Silver Lift cantered past on the left side. “I was going ‘Go right, go right!’” Harriet said. “He’s the only horse I would trust [to do that].”
2. Young rider and “free” horse who won speed Derby
Ella Dalton said that had someone told her she would win the British Speed Derby on her first attempt, she’d have said “no chance!” But the 21-year-old rider and Quality Rubies N Diamonds put in a superb debut performance, tipping just one rail to finish on 101.72, a squeak ahead of fellow first-timers William Rekert and Concert Z.
“I was trying to enjoy it, but the bank is actually quite high. I was quite scared by that! But when you’re on a horse who’s bold and brave, you get braver,” said Ella, who was gifted the horse. “I’m very lucky. She’s really chilled at home; Mum hacks her out, but at shows she gets excited.”
David Simpson said words could not describe how it felt to realise his long-held dream of winning the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby – after he and the eight-year-old Pjotr Van De Kruishoeve triumphed in a three-way jump-off. David and the Dutch-bred stallion – who won the seven-year-old championship at last year’s Derby meeting with David’s wife Louise – tipped just the Derby rails to finish on 90.48 seconds, ahead of William Funnell and Dublon, who had cleared everything but the middle part of the Devil’s Dyke to finish on 91.68 seconds. William was also third on Equine America Billy Diamo, whom he retired in the jump-off.
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David SIMPSON riding PJOTR VAN DE KRUISHOEVE in The Al Shira'aa Derby during The Al Shira'aa Hickstead Derby Meeting held at The All England Jumping Course in Hickstead near Burgess Hill in West Sussex in the UK between 22-25 June 2023
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Sarah has worked at an equestrian journalist and editor since 2004 and has held the position of Horse & Hound Editor-in-Chief since 2014. She has reported for Horse & Hound from major championships including Europeans and World Equestrian Games. She has co-written books on horses and horse sport including The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of Horses & Ponies. She has owned and ridden horses since 1993, and worked for and trained with Olympic gold medallist event rider Leslie Law prior to going to university. While studying for a BSc at London School of Economics Sarah also worked for top British dressage rider Louise Spate.
