Fruselli rockets to the top

A speedy round claims the grand prix spoils for Holly Smith as Hickstead smoothly hosts its one show of this pandemic-plagued year

- PENNY RICHARDSON

SCIENCE SUPPLEMENTS GRAND PRIX

1. Fruselli & Holly Smith

2. Can Ya Makan & Shane Breen

3. Foudre F & David Simpson

WINNING OWNERS: Sue and Gordon Hall BREEDER: Castell Sports Horses GROOMS: Katie Dutton and Joanna Hewitt

Science Supplements All England Championships, Hickstead, West Sussex

“YOU were too fast for me,” joked Shane Breen after Holly Smith pipped him to the top spot in the Science Supplements grand prix.

It was perhaps inevitable that these two riders would dominate the grand prix, as they each won a 1.40m class in the lead-up to the “big one”, but with some 75 starters, course-designers Nigel Jess and Ben Townley had their work cut out.

They came up with a track that asked questions from start to finish and made use of all the arena’s gradients. Fences fell everywhere and a tough line of the combination with a dog-leg to the water put paid to many hopes.

There was an alternative to the water of a tricky double of stiles, but those who chose that route were then almost bound to pick up time-faults.

Only seven pairs reached the jump-off and it was a classic. Swedish star Angelie von Essen started with another good clear on Happiness DK Z, followed by seventeen-year-old Ava Vernon jumping another clear, albeit in a slightly slower time, on her lovely mare Jolie Fleur Van De Noordheuvel.

David Simpson’s smooth round on Foudre F went into the lead, and then it was Holly Smith’s turn. She set Fruselli alight from the start and they just got better and better to knock more than 3.5sec off David’s time.

Shane Breen also meant business, on Can Ya Makan. The stallion answered every question, but they were half a second too slow and settled for second place.