Posted: 20th June 2016 | Back to news feed
Belgium's Francois Mathy Jr had a day to remember at the Bolesworth CSI **** International as he claimed two notable victories.
He began Saturday's action by winning the Young Horse Handicap Final for six and seven-year-old horses, sponsored by Whitley Neill Gin, in stylish fashion on Diddo van sint Maarden .
And then he triumphed in the four-star against the clock class, sponsored by Equigrip, when Falco ven der Clehoeve clipped more than a second off the time of Ireland's Marion Hughes after being drawn last but one to go in a class that had 63 starters, landing a prize of £6,400.
"The times were getting faster and faster, but my horse was careful enough and everything worked out," Mathy said of his second International Arena victory that was watched by a bumper Saturday afternoon crowd.
"My horse has quite a big stride, but I tried to turn tight. I knew that I'd had a good round, but you need to look at that clock just to be sure.
"He is a very competitive horse in these kind of classes. They are the type of classes where he is most comfortable."
The Young Horse jump-off time of 31.42 seconds thwarted the Czech Republic's Emma Augier de Moussac's bid for a third Bolesworth victory in 48 hours on Brighton Bay, as she finished second, with Italy's Luca Maria Moneta third aboard Ambramarie Del Beiro.
And Mathy said of his winning ride: "He is a stallion that we bought as a foal. He is owned by Team Harmony, and as a seven-year-old is still a young horse, but has a great brain, is very attentive and always listens.
"He coped well with a tight turn from fences one to two, and when I asked him again at the double, he was sharp and quick. The plan is to develop him slowly in young horse classes and let him progress steadily without pushing him.
“We based him at the Newmarket stables from a three to six-year-old, and he was well educated, so had a good start."
Hughes, meanwhile, became the latest two-time winner at the 2016 Bolesworth event when she claimed a thrilling victory in the four-star two phase competition, sponsored by Horse & Hound.
Irish challenger Hughes had already showcased the talent of Heritage HHS Fortuna by dominating a speed class on Thursday, and with time again of the essence, they did not disappoint.
They raced to victory in a time of 22.89 seconds, with the top four finishers separated by just 84 hundredths of a second.
Britain's Jay Halim led the chasing pack on Abrisco, clocking 23.53, while last year's Bolesworth Grand Prix winner Yazmin Pinchen finished third on Con Chilli, with Keith Shore (Zegreanne Z) fourth and Emma Augier de Moussac (Copia) fifth.
"I thought it would be seven strides to the second last fence in the jump-off, but she got there on course, so that was obviously key," Hughes said.
"It was only a short jump-off course, but it was very twisting and turning, and she had a great shot to the last fence."
Theo Simpson hailed the quality of his winning ride Touch of Chilli after they made their mark in the two-star grand prix, sponsored by Ashford Farm, saw 13 combinations contest the jump-off, and it was the 12-year-old chestnut mare that came out on top.
A time of 41.89 seconds meant they took the £6,400 winner's purse in comprehensive fashion, with Anna Wilks - an experienced and successful eventer - finishing second aboard Undicci, with Ireland's David Quigley third on EIS Isaura.
"I am over the moon," Simpson said. "The horse has been on great form, having been second about a month ago in a two-star grand prix.
"It was a tough enough track out there, and he performed when he needed to, so I am really happy.
"I have had the horse for two years now. I got him two months before I finished my A levels, and he has been going amazingly during the past few months. We've really gelled.
"He's fast, agile, and he has got the biggest heart you could ever have in a horse."
Earlier in the day, Emily Ward and Doobally won the two-star jump-off class, sponsored by Gain Horse Feeds, clocking a time of 33.79 seconds , while Sophie Fawcett continued her impressive Bolesworth form by taking second aboard Quite Cadiz, with David McPherson (Sirocco) third and Chloe Breen (Zidane VIII) fourth.
And Mischa Irving made the long journey from Lanarkshire in Scotland worthwile when she won Saturday's International Arena opener - the Am-B accumulator, sponsored by Alexanders Horseboxes.
The class ssees riders collect points for fences jumped , with a maximum score of 65, and competitors level on that score then separated by time.
And it was Irving who dominated the field, clocking a time of 51.49 seconds with eight-year-old Casaretta to triumph by a clear margin from Jule Slade and the ultra-consistent Billy Gogo, with Saudi Arabia's Sheikh Samir Mirdad third on Mirdad's Maaa Shaaa Allah.
"It was an excellent to the day - I wasn't expecting that," Irving said.
"I've had the horse since a four-year-old and produced her ourselves. She was placed in the amateur class here last year, so we decided to bring her back.
"She was placed on the first two days, and won today, so she is very consistent."
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