‘It means so much’: emotional Hickstead win in memory of young rider lost to cancer

There was an emotional win in Hickstead’s International Arena for Jay Halim on Sunday (25 June), on a horse whose previous rider, his owners’ daughter, evented until her death a year ago.

Jay, also a former eventer, rode Charles Filmer’s 10-year-old Lachain Crux to win the Doney Championship by a second and a half from Lucy Townley on Billy Von Papan.

The gelding had been evented to novice level by Charles and Antonia’s daughter Miranda, who died aged 30 last June from neuroendocrine cancer, and who was a posthumous finalist in the inspiration of the year title at last year’s Horse & Hound Awards.

“I’m really pleased for him, and really pleased for the owners. It means so much,” said Jay.

Jay added that he could “feel every stride” yesterday; he had come third in Saturday’s British Speed Derby on Zuniek VD Tojopehoeve Z but had a fall from his other ride in the class, Gentle. But he rode a beautiful round on Sunday, on a horse he was sent to produce and sell, although he hopes to keep the ride.

“He’s a super, super horse; he’s got loads of ability, and so it’ll be really interesting to see if I could hold on to him and see what’s there, because he’s really proving to be a lovely horse,” he said. “He’s got so much stride – I could have taken another stride out on every distance with him.

“I don’t ride on grass that often any more, so I find it a little bit peculiar to be honest – having evented so much, it was kind of my comfort zone, and now I’m a bit like a fish out of water at times! But I’m naturally a very forward rider, and I think that’s a key element of jumping on grass. Hickstead is so special to me anyway, so I love being here, and it’s lovely to be in that arena.”

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