Whitaker shows how it's done

The legendary John Whitaker says that winning in front of his home crowd “keeps me young” and shows his rivals exactly how to do it – twice

- ELEANOR JONES, LUCY ELDER and JENNIFER DONALD

THE legendary John Whitaker showed the “young speed merchants” how it’s done to rack up a double of wins across the final two days of the show. His first success came in the santa stakes on Sharid and he followed up by winning Monday’s six-bar with the same horse. John said winning at the London International never gets old.

On Sunday, John and HH Prince Torki bin Mohammed Al Saud’s Sharid were the only combination to jump- off clear in the 1.50m class, beating Scott Brash and Hello Mr President’s turbo-powered but four-fault round into second place.

John and the versatile 14-year-old were third of six to jump off, and with no clears before him, John judged that aiming to leave all the fences up was his best bet. The strategy paid off, when none of those who followed – Matt Sampson on MGH Candy Girl, Kendra Claricia Brinkop on Ma Belle and Lorenzo de Luca with Violino Il Palazetto – could match his feat.

“It’s only his second class this week so he’s fresh,” said John of the Toulon gelding. “He’s not an easy ride but he can really jump and when everything works out, it’s good.

“It was a tough-enough course but with the others not going clear I thought maybe don’t take all the risks. I knew my time was beatable but I was clear, and it put just the right amount of pressure on the others.”

The home crowd roared its appreciation of the 68-year-old showjumping legend to the rooftops, and John said such moments, followed by the gallop under the spotlights, never get old.

“In front of your own crowd, and with such an enthusiastic audience; it is a fantastic feeling,” he said in reflection. “It keeps me young!”