Princess Bella claims her crown

Alice Oppenheimer and her delightful home-bred mare dance their way to a freestyle double, while two other riders end a run of near misses to reach the top of the podium

- POLLY BRYAN, CATHERINE AUSTEN, LUCY ELDER & GEMMA REDRUP

ALICE OPPENHEIMER landed the sought-after Superflex inter I freestyle, riding her beloved mare Headmore Bella Ruby, who upgraded from her advanced medium music title in 2020.

The pair produced a brilliant, faultless routine to an emotive Les Misérables soundtrack to score 74.17% and add the inter I freestyle title to their Magic Prix st georges (PSG) music title from earlier in the week.

Bella was home-bred by Alice’s mother Sarah out of their outstanding Headmore Stud foundation mare Rubinsteena and is by Belissimo M.

“Bella is, as everyone knows, the apple of my eye – she’s Princess Bella,” said Alice, who also claimed a pair of small tour titles at these championships in 2019 on Headmore Davina.

“From the first moment I sat on Bella when she was first backed as a four-year-old, I said to Mum that there was something really special about her. She has an amazing work ethic.”

While a couple of errors in the canter work pulled down the pair’s score in the straight inter I, they were back to full strength by the freestyle.