‘All the talent in the world’: sky-high ambitions for rising star after pillar-to-post victory in Blenheim’s young horse CCI4*-S

Samantha Lissington coasted to victory in the GFS Saddles eight- and nine-year-old CCI4*-S results at the Agria Blenheim Horse Trials (Sunday, 21 September) with her flying nine-year-old grey, Quantas R.

Gemma Stevens was runner-up on Cooley Park Muze with another exceptional performance – clocking the second-fastest time (2.8 time-faults) over the cross-country track to back up their second-placed dressage. Sarah Bullimore franked the form book, finishing third with last year’s Boekelo fifth Coromiro, 4.5 penalties adrift.

Sam has made no secret of how highly she rates this bold-striding nine-year-old, owned by the High Flyers Syndicate. He floated over Blenheim’s undulations to finish on his dressage score of 22.4 – a copybook performance in every phase for a pillar-to-post victory.

“I really wanted to win this and I knew he was capable, but it’s one thing saying it and another delivering,” Sam said. “So I’m really happy I’ve got him to the place where he can show off in the dressage.

“There was a lot of pressure in the showjumping, where it could have been won or lost, and then being last to go cross-country. Knowing Gemma is fast, I had to assume she would be inside the time on her top horse and I only had one second to play with.”

Sam came in bang on the optimum time as the only combination to finish on a clean sheet.

“Quantas is outrageous,” added Sam. “He has so much length of stride, that it looks like he’s going in slow motion but he feels fast. There’s a lot of power to deal with, and our journey has been about managing that power, knowing he had all the talent and capability in the world.

“It’s been about getting the rideability with the power, jump, speed and everything. He’s sharp and can spin – he spent one winter getting me off every day, three times in one week. He has a quirky side, but he’s becoming the ultimate professional. He’s got to be a strong contender for the World Championships.”

At times it felt like the Sam and Gemma show, with both riders piloting three horses apiece, of which all six finished in the top 15. And it was an absolute showdown at the end of the reverse order cross-country phase. Once Coromiro had secured third position, it was a duel between the top two, with just over as second splitting them.

Gemma Stevens runner-up in Blenheim Horse Trials CCI4*-S results

Second last to go, Gemma set out in determined style on nine-year-old Cooley Park Muze. They laid down the gauntlet with the fastest time of the day so far, with Quantas cruising out on course. Quantas is already a winner at four-star long, and he showed how comfortable he is at this level with a stunning round, finishing with plenty of running.

Gemma was delighted with how “Rex” took on the challenge, having only started eventing in 2023.

“We’d had a crack at four-star at Hartpury and we had the wrong bit and it caught me out,” said Gemma. “I’ve changed from a soft nathe running gag to one with a lozenge with sides and that small thing makes such a difference as I now have more control over his stride, and he was absolutely wonderful. He got a little bit tired at the end and he used to give up a bit, but today he dug deep.

“I really hope he’s a top horse – but my other two horses I had here are also seriously exciting for the next two years.”

There was little to split the the top three, with Coromiro also outstanding in all three phases. Sarah revealed that she broke her collarbone three weeks prior the event, and had an operation only two weeks ago.

“I am chuffed to bits, he’s a fabulous, fabulous horse,” Sarah said. “He’s one of those that you just want to get up in the morning and ride. He loves his job. He’s been wild all week, as we’ve been short of match practice, so to even make it here has been quite good.

“He was quite strong today and has such a massive stride; he thought this was all easy-peasy. I thought I was slow and was berating myself, because I haven’t got my full strength back. But he makes it feel easy, he’s a megastar – he’s probably the best horse I’ve had, and he’s got a great brain.”

Blenheim Horse Trials CCI4*-S results: how the cross-country phase unfolded

This class, which is widely considered a championship for young horses, has heralded the arrival of certain superstars on the world stage, namely the new European champion London 52, who won in 2018, and the 2022 world champion Banzai Du Loir (in 2020). There’s every chance graduates from this class will be in the line-up for Los Angeles 2028, when they will be at their peak.

David Evans’ track had 23 numbered fences in a time of 6min 53sec, and there was plenty to challenge these up-and-coming stars. The first water complex in particular at fences eight and nine, was an eyeful. Horses approached the lake downhill with three chunky fences on a left-hand curve, culminating in a log drop into the water. After galloping through, they had to negotiate a tightly angled double of brushes.

The big log into this water did cause a number of stops, including four horses almost in a row, but this batch of top-notch eight- and nine-year-olds by and large found the cross-country well within their capability, yielding a 73% clear rate. David had been clever with the course, adding in time-consuming loops, and making most of the mounds and the double lake crossings to slow horses down. Time had the biggest impact, with only the winner finishing inside.

A thrilling finale

The top 20 ran across country in reverse order – with a few exceptions where Sam, Gemma and Tom Jackson had multiple well placed rides. The top 17 after showjumping were covered by 10 penalties, equating to 25 seconds, and just 7sec separated the top three.

Gemma was the cross-country trailblazer on Chilli’s Jester, the full brother to her five-star winner Chilli Knight, who was lying 18th after the first two phases. She set the standard with a comfortable clear for 5.2 time-faults. This proved a very quick time, with no one able to better it for the next two and a half hours. Gemma then bettered her own time with 3.6 time-faults aboard her second ride Chilli Morning IV, who moved up from 14th to eventual eighth. This set up a compelling final 40 minutes with the top-placed combinations jostling on the leaderboard.

Sam had the benefit of two clear rounds under her belt before setting out with Quantas R, with her overnight sixth Lucas Stone clocking eight time-faults to drop one place to seventh, when Tom Jackson and four-star debutant Brookfield William clocked a faster time.

The first horse to drop out of the top 10 was George Hilton-Jones’ ride Feardorcha Diamond MH, from 10th. He was reluctant to canter through the lake and petered out at the angled brushes. George retired after a second run-out. Next out, Austin O’Connor was going brilliantly until an unlucky tumble when his ride Diamond Mistress, lying ninth overnight, stumbled after after the “Narrow Ditch” at 14a and tipped Austin off.

But tidy rounds from Tom Jackson (Brookfield William), Phoebe Locke (Renkum Jitterbug, 10th), Fiona Kashel (Monbeg Kazador, fifth) and Tim Price (The Highlander, fourth) put the pressure on the top three.

This premium class may have had to play second fiddle to the European Eventing Championships on this occasion but it was an absolute thriller, and exciting to dream about what these top-class young horses may achieve in the years to come.

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