'When you do well at a show, you have a good vibe'

Flying Belgian Abdel Saïd rockets to a repeat win in the King’s Cup and a British rising star records her first five-star success

- Flying Belgian Abdel

WHEN riders have a taste of winning at Windsor, they often come back for more, and that was certainly true for Abdel Saïd of Belgium, who lifted the prestigious King’s Cup for the second time in five years of competition when he headed the Kingdom of Bahrain stakes with Arpege Du Ru.

Abdel made the crowd sit up with a startling pathfinding jump-off round on his familiar 13-year-old chestnut mare, which eight other combinations chased in vain.

As the class drew to an end, Frenchman Kevin Staut had only managed to get within 1.44sec with Beau De Laubry Z but a last-ditch bid from Harry Charles and Ann Thompson’s powerful mare Aralyn Blue almost hit the target, finishing 0.65sec behind the lead for the runner-up spot.

“We know each other like the back of my hand, she trusts me and I trust her,” said Abdel, who jumped on the Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) in Miami and Mexico City before heading to the UK for Royal Windsor.

The show is one 33-year- old Abdel always tries to fit into his calendar.

“There are certain shows I enjoy doing – when you do well at a show, you have a good vibe and want to come back,” he said.

“I would rather be here than in Madrid [for the clashing LGCT]. I love the show and I love showing in England. I’ve been to London and to Horse of the Year Show – it’s all horse people, there’s so much going on with kids and ponies and it’s something you don’t get to see with the glamorous side of the sport nowadays. It’s fun for us; many of the guys feel the same.”

Abdel, who switched nationality to represent Belgium, which has been his home for 15 years, is hoping to jump on his first Nations Cup team for the country in Rotterdam next month.