Wathelet Wows With Second CSI5* Win in GCT Cascais

Cascais, POR – June 15, 2018 – The in-form Gregory Wathelet (BEL) and Qualido took their second win of the weekend at the Longines Global Champions Tour of Cascais, Estoril, battling against the elements to triumph in the CSI5* evening class.

Under the bright floodlights, Wathelet delivered the only double clear in the picturesque grass arena, finishing ahead of Julien Epaillard (FRA) with Safari D Auge and Simon Delestre (FRA) with Filou Carlo Zimequest in front of thrilled VIPs and spectators.

Gregory Wathelet and Qualido. Photo: Stefano Grasso/LGCT
Gregory Wathelet and Qualido. Photo: Stefano Grasso/LGCT

Speaking after his win, Wathelet said “I was at the beginning of the jump-off and I had some fast riders behind me so I knew I had to go for it. It’s given me motivation to have a good result – tomorrow is another day but for now I can enjoy my two first days [at LGCT Cascais] and my two victories.”

Frank Rothenberger’s course was a smooth flowing design, featuring an eye catching Cascais wall and a troublesome triple combination – the third element showcasing a spooky liverpool. The final fence, a huge Longines oxer also required plenty of power and scope at the end of a long and winding course with a time allowed of 77 seconds.

The gusty winds and dancing shadows threw an outside element into the mix, with many horses jumping well but unable to keep a clear score, distracted by the wind. Abdel Saïd (EGY) and Venise du Reverdy were the first to leave all the poles up, but agonisingly picked up a single time fault. Similarly Christian Ahlmann (GER) gave Take A Chance On Me Z a phenomenal round, keeping the horse’s attention and reassurance all the way through the course to jump clean, but also collected 1 time penalty.

It took more than half the field to go before Cascais saw its first completely clear score this evening, after Denis Lynch (IRL) with Fairview Aliquidam powered around the arena, putting pedal to the metal to finish cleanly inside the time. However he was quickly followed by Gregory Wathelet (BEL) with Qualido, meaning there would be a jump-off, with Julien Epaillard (FRA) and Safari D Auge, Simon Delestre (FRA) with Filou Carlo Zimequest, Pedro Veniss (BRA) with For Felicila joining them.

Home hero Duarte Seabra (POR) pulled out a brilliant clear with Fernhill Curra Quinn, with the local fans on their feet in applause for their rider. Speaking after his round he said: “I’m very happy. Now I have to try to win as Portugal couldn’t [in the football]! We have to take a good chance here, as it’s a very good opportunity to be competing here, so we’ll try our best for sure.”

So it would be a six rider jump-off with Denis Lynch (IRL) first to go on Fairview Aliquidam. The duo blazed around the shortened course, but the GC oxer caught them out after Fairview Aliquidam broke into a trot, picking up four faults. The final Longines oxer fell to give him a total of 8 but the pair were fast, setting the time at 45.97s.

Gregory Wathelet (BEL) and Qualido looked on flying form, taking the first fence on an angle. The Belgian rider turned on a hairpin back to the final fence, taking the huge striding horse flat out to the oxer to clear it in 41.52s – there was a new time to beat.

Four faults at the GC oxer for speed demon Julien Epaillard (FRA) and Safari D Auge ruled them out of contention, despite the pair posting the fastest time so far in 40.77 seconds. A pole for compatriot Simon Delestre (FRA) and the 9 year old Filou Carlo Zimequest would mean they too dropped off the top of the leaderboard, with two left to come.

The Portuguese rider, Duarte Seabra, set off at a steady pace, looking for a clear to finish at the worst second. However it wasn’t to be a home top three result, as a pole fell, dropping Seabra down to fourth overall. So it would be a second big win of the weekend for the on-form Gregory Wathelet (BEL) and Qualido, the pair scooping the lion’s share of the prize purse.

RESULTS

1.50m Class
Place / Rider / Horse / R1 Faults / R2 Faults | Time 
1. Gregory Wathelet / Qualido / 0 / 0 | 41.52
2. Julien Epaillard / Safari D Auge / 0 / 4 | 40.77
3. Simon Delestre / Filou Carlo Zimequest / 0 / 4 | 44.22
4. Duarte Seabra / Fernhill Curra Quinn / 0 / 4 | 46.92
5. Pedro Veniss / For Felicila / 0 / 5 | 55.59
6. Denis Lynch / Fairview Aliquidam / 0 / 8 | 45.97
7. Abdel Saïd / Venise du Reverdy / 1 | 78.59
8. Christian Ahlmann / Take A Chance on me Z / 1 | 79.08
9. Martin Fuchs / Cristo / 4 | 74.25
10. Mark McAuley / Vivaldi du Theil / 4 | 74.90
11. Marlon Módolo Zanotelli / Icarus / 4 | 75.08
12. Darragh Kenny / Important de Muze / 4 | 75.43

For full results, click here.

Karel Cox Untouchable in LGCT Cascais Speed Class

From start to finish there was only one winner in Friday’s first CSI5* class on the second day of the Longines Global Champions Tour of Cascais, Estoril. Leading from the off, Karel Cox (BEL) pulled out an unbeatable speed class round with Evert – taking the win by one hundredths of a second ahead of Yuri Mansur (BRA) and third place man Mark McAuley (IRL).

Karel Cox and Evert. Photo: Stefano Grasso/LGCT
Karel Cox and Evert. Photo: Stefano Grasso/LGCT

Speaking after his round, Cox said, “I know it’s a fast horse – I walked my course and did what I planned, it ended up good and I’m happy! It was quite a technical class, the first line was simple for me to go for the eight, and then I slowed down a bit. The last line with the turn inside to the oxer was tricky with many mistakes. For me it was maybe a good thing to go in first!”

First to go Cox set off at a speedy pace with Evert, the pair deceptively fast around the galloping grass arena. Flying along the distances, the duo – who won the speed class at LGCT Hamburg – powered through the finish gates in 63.09 seconds, throwing down the gauntlet to the rest of the 44 starters yet to come.

His clear was quickly followed up by Mark McAuley (IRL) who shaved off milliseconds with Vivaldi du Theil, sprinting around to stop the clock in 63.40s – just behind Cox. The pressure was on for the rest of the field, and the deceptively simple course and almost matching times heaped the pressure on the international field, with riders either going full throttle or using the class to jump a steady clear.

Danielle Goldstein (ISR) was one of the first to follow with a steady clear, guiding Celebrity VDL speedily around the arena she knows and loves to well. They set a time of 73.15s, with the door open for the rest of the world class field to come, and tomorrow’s showdown clearly on her mind. She was joined by Darragh Kenny (IRL) with Important de Muze, Alberto Zorzi (ITA) with Vannan, José Alfredo Hernández Ortega (ESP) with Grupo Prom Rahmannshof Before, Ludger Beerbaum (GER) with Cool Down,

Yuri Mansur (BRA) and Amor, fresh from their win yesterday flew around the arena looking dangerous to take over the win. The duo were neck and neck with Cox’s time but couldn’t quite reach it, stopping the clock just 1 hundredths of a second behind to finish in 63.19 seconds. But it was Cox who was unstoppable in Friday’s speed class, collecting the win and the lion’s share of the prize money.

RESULTS

1.45m Speed
Place / Rider / Horse / Faults | Time
1. Karel Cox / Evert / 0 | 63.09
2. Yuri Mansur Guerios / Amor / 0 | 63.19
3. Mark McAuley / Vivaldi of Theil / 0 | 63.40
4. Ludger Beerbaum / Cool Down / 0 | 71.13
5. Danielle Goldstein / Celebrity VDL / 0 | 73.15
6. Darragh Kenny / Important of Muze / 0 | 75.10
7. Alberto Zorzi / Vannan / 0 | 76.71
8. Jose Alfredo Hernandez Ortega / Grupo Prom Rahmannshof Before / 0 | 76.97
9. Scott Brash / Hello Forever / 0 | 77.36
10. Nicola Philippaerts / I love van het Schaeck / 1 | 79.91
11. Carlos Lopez / G & C Arrayan / 2 | 86.83
12. Lorenzo from Luca / Halifax van het Kluizebos / 2 | 86.86

For full results, click here.

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