Girl power reigns at Olympia

Helena Weinberg produced one of the rounds of her life to win the major class at Olympia, Sunday’s Sony Ericsson World Cup qualifier, on Kasting Horses Gavi.

The Sheffield-born German rider came out top of a 13-horse jump-off with a round that held off the reigning World Cup champion, Marcus Ehning, on his great horse, For Pleasure, by a fraction.

Michael Whitaker was the best of the British in fourth on Portofino, a horse who looked every inch a potential Olympic performer.

The honours on this penultimate day of the show were evenly shared. Peter Wylde scored for America in a fascinating accumulator on Felix De Noves, while Swedish star Maria Gretzer rode Ricarda T to a narrow victory over Guy Williams and Onyx V in the knockout class.

Robert Smith wrapped things up with a splendid victory in the Ivy Stakes jump-off class on Kalusha, foiling Nick Skelton’s bid for a double on Pat Hales’s Pandur — and three wins overall — by more than 1sec.

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