‘He gives me goosebumps in every phase'

Laura Collett and London 52 continue their winning ways at this “mini Olympics”, and the world champion wins on her dressage score

- LUCY ELDER

Aston-le-Walls International (2), Northants

LAURA COLLETT and her five-star winner London 52 continued their run of blistering form with victory in the Dassett Eventing CCI4*-S section A, while reigning world champion Ros Canter claimed the other section aboard rising star Lordships Graffalo.

Laura and the 12-year-old gelding, whom she co-owns with Karen Bartlett and Keith Scott, added nothing to their leading 20.5 dressage to win by a 2.4-penalty margin. The pair’s record now stands at five wins from six starts since October 2020, including Pau CCI5*-L and Little Downham CCI4*-S.

“He gives me goosebumps in every phase,” said Laura. “He’s lush to ride on the flat, because he’s such a show-off, then when showjumping you feel like you could jump the moon, and across country he is so confident – he’s just like, ‘Come on Mum, let’s go!’ He is more than the horse I thought he was. He’s unbelievable.

“There are so many competitive combinations that coming here felt like a mini Olympics in that section. You just know they are not going to make any mistakes behind you, so I felt like there was quite a lot of pressure today. But as soon as I was on him, I just enjoyed him as he is so special.”

In second was Izzy Taylor and Monkeying Around, who added 0.4 of a showjumping time penalty to their 22.5 dressage, with Tom McEwen and his Pau 2019 and 2018 world team gold medal-winning ride, Toledo De Kerser, in third.

Captain Mark Phillips’ international course, which replaced cancelled Chatsworth and served as a pre-Olympic trial, was met with widespread acclaim from riders, as was the ground.