Nike just does it again!
๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐จ ๐๐ญ! ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฉ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฐ๐๐๐ค ๐ญ๐ฐ๐จ'๐ฌ ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฒ'๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐ญ ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ซ๐'๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ก
Holly Smith and the exciting eight year old Nike van het Singraven continued their sensational run of form on the opening day of Week Two of the Al Shira'aa Bolesworth International, producing the only double clear performance to win Thursday's CSI4* 1.50m Longines Ranking Grand Prix Qualifier, sponsored by CG Professional.
Defeating an all star field that included current world number nine Laura Kraut, multi-Olympian John Whitaker, Irish star Billy Twomey, reigning Al Shira'aa Bolesworth CSI4* Grand Prix champion Laura Renwick and a host of Olympic riders, European medallists and Nations Cup winners, Holly Smith Showjumping produced two flawless rounds to secure back to back international Longines Ranking victories at Bolesworth.
The 48 strong field, representing six nations, were all chasing valuable Longines Ranking points and a share of the impressive prize fund in Rafael Suarez and teamโs 16 effort track that sent four combinations through to the jump off.
USA's Sterling Malnik, who qualified for last week's CSI3* Al Shira'aa Grand Prix jump-off, was first into the International Arena aboard Calgary Tame but incurred 12 faults.
The first British combination, local rider Hannah Sims, based just eight miles from Bolesworth, partnered the stallion Kingfisher, fresh from contesting this year's Al Shira'aa Hickstead Derby. The pair added four jumping faults and a single time penalty.
Guy Williams looked on course for a clear after producing a smooth, flowing round before a late rail denied him, while reigning CSI4* Al Shira'aa Bolesworth Grand Prix champion Laura Renwick and Marseille saw two fences fall despite producing one of the quicker rounds of the day.
It was Holly who finally cracked the course, delivering the first clear aboard the hugely talented Nike van het Singraven before Ireland's Billy Twomey and Ace of Hearts Z quickly joined her with another faultless performance.
Multi Olympian John Whitaker and Equine America Unick de Francport looked set to make it three clears, only to agonisingly pick up a single time fault, while Laura Kraut ensured three nations would contest the jump off after guiding Carquilara PS home inside the time allowed.
Just four combinations progressed to the deciding round, with Holly joined by Billy Twomey, Sally Goding and Laura Kraut.
First to return, Holly knew she had to lay down a target and did exactly that, producing another immaculate clear in 39.70 seconds.
Billy Twomey (Show Jumper) Official chased hard but a single rail left him to settle for second, while Kraut's fast four fault effort secured third. Sally Goding also picked up faults, leaving Holly and Nike van het Singraven as the only combination to produce two clear rounds.
The victory capped a remarkable fortnight for Holly and the eight-year-old, who became the only rider to win both of the Al Shira'aa Bolesworth International's Longines Ranking classes, underlining the emergence of one of Britain's most exciting young horses.
Speaking after her win, Smith said:
"I couldn't be more pleased with the horse โ he obviously likes it here.โ
"Not only is it special to win another ranking class after last week, but one of his joint owners, Liz Astall, was here to watch him for the first time, so it was really lovely to do that in front of her."
Holly admitted she wasn't confident that they would pull off a top placing today: "The class was tough today with only four clears, and I was drawn first to go, so I didn't really fancy myself with the people I had coming behind me. I just did my usual round and hoped it would be good enough."
Explaining where she felt she made the difference, she added:
"I actually went a stride extra than I wanted from fence three to four, then I thought I really needed to take a chance to the double, which I did. It's naturally quite a quick course and I thought that just put enough pressure on that it forced people into mistakes."
Holly has produced Nike van het Singraven since he was a five-year-old and believes the partnership they have developed is now paying dividends at the highest level.
"I've spent all of my time with that horse โ nursing him, producing him โ so I think that's why he's coming to this level as quickly as he has. He also has an exceptional temperament. He's super friendly and definitely thinks he's quite entitled!"
Holly was in winning form, also claiming the top spot in the 4* 1.40m with the handsome and super-quick Fruselli, back in competition after almost two years away.
Earlier in the day, Great Britain's Jessica Hewlett claimed victory in the CSIU25-A 1.35m Against the Clock Qualifier, sponsored by D&H.
Fifty combinations from six nations tackled John Doyle's flowing 11 fence course in the Castle Arena, with D&H's commitment to supporting equine performance through expert nutrition providing fitting backing for the class.
Ireland's Seamus Hughes Kennedy laid down the first clear in 57.96 seconds before Chloe Hughes Kennedy ensured the opening two clears both belonged to Ireland.
Britain's Cate Kerr moved to the top of the leaderboard aboard Ballypatrick Zambra with a time of 56.77 seconds and held the lead until halfway through the class, when Maddie Heath edged ahead before Glain Watkin-Jones and Heroine Pasquier shaved more time from the clock.
Drawn late in the order, Jessica and Mosandro Van Perbeemd produced a superb round to stop the clock 0.64 seconds quicker than Glain Watkin-Jones and claim an impressive qualifier victory.
Speaking afterwards, Jessica said: "That was so much fun. He's a quick horse and I was very lucky to have a good draw as well. He's naturally speedy, so all I really have to do is follow him and do as he says," she laughed.
Explaining where she found the winning time, Jessica added:
"Everything was a bit of a turn back after each line, so it was about keeping it tight but still keeping it smooth. That's where we managed to just nick that little bit of time."
The partnership has only been competing internationally together for the past 12 months after Jessica bought the horse unseen, making the victory all the more special with a horse she describes as incredibly special to her.
Photo ยฉ 1st Class Images/Bolesworth Internationalย
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