Guy Williams just pips Lily Attwood in HOYS Thistledown Cup

Guy Williams and Rouge De Ravel win the HOYS Thistledown Cup — Guy Williams riding Rouge de Ravel, winner of Class 13, Thistledown Cup, during the Horse of the Year Show held at the NEC in Birmingham in UK between 6 -10th October 2021

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Lily Attwood may have called Guy Williams a rather rude name as his round secured the Thistledown Cup at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS).

Guy and 19-year-old Lily, who is based at his yard, took first and second, on Rouge De Ravel and Cor-Leon VD VlierBeek Z respectively, Guy crossing the finish line almost exactly a second ahead.

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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.

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Both riders had jumped clear in the first round, and in this competition the first-round times decided the jump-off order so Guy, as the fastest, was last to go of the six clears.

Lily had taken the lead with a super fast round but speed specialist Guy’s 16-year-old stallion, who loves to run and jump, was galloping from start to finish, turning on a sixpence and with no chance of touching a pole.

“Lily made me work for it!” said Guy. “She’s very fast; we both know what the other does, and both our horses jumped well, so we’re happy.”

“Today’s course really suited him,” he said. “This show isn’t the best for him, he gets really feisty and stallion-like around the ponies, so in the first round, I wasn’t trying to go the fastest, he was just quick anyway, and he jumped so well.”

Guy said Lily will go a long way.

“She’s deadly in the ring,” he said. “She takes chances other people wouldn’t, and she’s got a bit of grit about her. She’s not unlike me, quite an aggressive rider, but horses jump well for her.”

And asked if he knew what Lily said when she saw he had beaten his time, Guy said: “I can imagine!”

Guy had a good first day at HOYS as well as the Thistledown Cup win, coming third in the Stoneleigh Stakes on Mr Blue Sky UK, and second in the Grandstand Welcome Stakes on Cicero II.

“We’re happy to be back here,” he said. “It’s probably one of the best three-star atmospheres you’ll ever get.”

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