Ballaghmor Class looks sharp

Oliver Townend's veteran star is back in the game, while elsewhere horses heading to Pau dominate, as this East Anglian event defies the weather

- SUE POLLEY

Childeric Saddles Little Downham (3), Ely Eventing Centre, Cambs

THE crème de la crème of the eventing fraternity took advantage of Little Downham's CCI4*-S and advanced tracks, which are firmly established as perfect prep runs for the final long-format four- and five-star events of the season.

The peaty East Anglian soil ably withstood the phenomenal amount of rain that descended on the area over the previous couple of weeks and the going was nigh on perfect.

Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan's prolific five-star winner Ballaghmor Class lived up to his name and reputation, winning CCI4*-S section K under Oliver Townend on a score of 32.8.

This was only the 16-year-old's third competition in a season that has been dogged by injury niggles. To the observer, he appeared to cruise around the cross-country with little obvious effort, however Oliver admitted "Thomas" does need waking up every now and again.

"He can be a bit sluggish and lazy and needed this run to sharpen him up a bit," he said.

"He's phenomenal and can do things other horses can't, but I needed to know I had all the gears and he ticked that box." A decision will be made this week between Oliver and Thomas' owners regarding if and where he will contest a long-format competition to round off the season.

New Zealand's Clarke Johnstone and his family-owned Paris Olympics partner Menlo Park were second on 34.1, with Tom Rowland and Jo Handman's 12-year-old Quintilius third on 36.8