Zara on a High

The London 2012 medallists have the perfect run to set them up for their Kentucky challenge.

- Jo Prestwich

ZARA TINDALL couldn’t contain her delight after High Kingdom, her London 2012 team silver medallist, proved he was back to his best with a win in Weston Park’s advanced. The Master Imp gelding is now 16 and Zara had that in mind when she set him alight round Weston’s rolling park.

“You can’t make these old boys go that slowly,” she said. “They’re so good at travelling and jumping and he’s at that age when you have to enjoy every run you get.”

High Kingdom was in action the previous week at Belton, but Zara is choosing his runs carefully and just did the dressage and showjumping there before withdrawing before the cross-country.

“I did the first two phases there for a practice in an atmosphere, then brought him here. The going is absolutely perfect,” she added. “It was a good track with some decent questions and the corner to the water was a good practice before a four-star.”

A four-star is exactly where High Kingdom heads next. Zara entered him for Badminton, but is a long way down the wait-list, as two quieter years mean he has minimal FEI points for the ballot. Instead, he’s Kentucky bound and Zara is hoping for better luck than two years ago when the horse cut himself kicking out in the stable just before the dressage.

“I’m going for bubble-wrap bandages,” was her tongue-incheek remark. “With him being an older horse, there is also the advantage of the dressage and showjumping being on a surface at Kentucky. I’m looking forward to it.”

Plenty of the Weston field are Badminton-bound, including second-placed Ros Canter and Allstar B. Ros has spent the winter getting some training in with Chris Bartle.