Scott Brash gave the Longines Global Champions Tour of London the finish its home crowd wanted, squeezing 0.19 seconds out of Hello Jefferson to win the CSI5* 1.50m Jump-Off at Royal Hospital Chelsea before Mexico Amigos later claimed the GCL team contest. London likes its theatre crowded and faintly improbable. On this occasion, it also came with poles.
Brash finds the fraction that matters
Fourteen combinations returned for the jump-off, with Victor Bettendorf setting the standard on Encore Toi du Linon. The Luxembourg rider attacked the closing line to stop the clock at 40.30 seconds, the first double clear of the decider.
By then, the penultimate fence had acquired the sort of reputation usually reserved for tax inspectors. Marlon Modolo Zanotelli, Kristen Vanderveen and Eduardo Alvarez Aznar were among those whose quick rounds came apart there.
Then came Brash and the 17-year-old Hello Jefferson.
The pair matched Bettendorf’s tempo and crossed the line in 40.11 seconds. Nineteen hundredths. Enough to turn a very good afternoon into a home win.
“When you’re on Jefferson you know you’ve always got a chance,” said Brash. “He’s been a remarkable horse for me, and on top of his experience he just loves his job – he wants to win and he wants to go again next week… he’s been an incredible horse for me.”
Hello Jefferson makes experience count
Several riders had already shown that being quick and being clear were not necessarily on speaking terms.
Gilles Thomas and Riesling van T Roosakker finished clear in 45.24 seconds. Kim Emmen and Quando van het Hellehof also protected the clean sheet in 52.28, while final challenger Lara Tryba and Chageorge produced a fault-free 43.39 to secure third.
That left Bettendorf second and Brash on top, with Thomas fourth, Emmen fifth and Zanotelli sixth despite his four faults.
“It’s amazing here, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – there’s nowhere like London. The crowd get behind all us British riders and we are very grateful!”
Mexico Amigos hold their nerve in the GCL
The evening team competition brought a different sort of pressure. Mexico Amigos, represented in the decisive stages by husband-and-wife pairing Carlos Hank Guerreiro and Zoe Hank Conter, finished on four penalties across the two rounds to secure their first win of the season.
New York Empire powered by Lugano also ended on four penalties, but were just over five seconds slower. Scott Brash, Mark McAuley and Denis Lynch therefore had to settle for second, while St Tropez Pirates took third on five penalties.
Zoe Hank Conter said: “We love it here in London, and my horses are just in great shape. The first round was actually a very nice run and I was really happy with my mare; she really jumped her heart out. Then in the second round, Luis just delivered.
He has already delivered for the Mexico Amigos before when we needed him, and he did that again today, so I’m just thrilled. Both of Carlos’ horses were amazing today as well. He really fought for it until the end and it worked out for both of us, so we’re super happy.”
New York Empire push, Pirates climb
Brash rebounded from his first-round fault with a clear on Hello Folie and McAuley was again faultless with Clooney van Spalbeek Z.
McAuley said: “It’s a beautiful setting, to be here in the centre of London is a special feeling. It’s been a few years since I was last here, but the location, the vibe, the show, it’s all top tier.”
Brash added: “I was super pleased with Folie today in round 2, she jumped super… and having Marc on the team with a great group of horses around him, it’s great to have him on board.”
St Tropez Pirates climbed from fifth after the opening round. Piergiorgio Bucci went clear on Casalia DG before Nadja Peter Steiner added four faults with Clearround Il Mondo.
Bucci said: “All season we are thinking about Championship points – sometimes it hasn’t worked out or sometimes we were a little less lucky, but we know we have an amazing team of horses, so we know we can perform really well for the rest of the season!”
London leaves the title race tighter
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Shanghai Swans slipped to fourth, Madrid in Motion finished fifth on 12 penalties and championship leaders Riesenbeck International powered by Horse Gym ended sixth, also on 12. Riyadh Knights saw their chance disappear after carrying a perfect first-round score into the finale.
The GCL now moves to the Longines Tops International Arena in Valkenswaard, while London still has its headline act to come: the LGCT Grand Prix, with 40 riders chasing €1 million in prize money.
Brash gave Chelsea its roar. Mexico Amigos supplied the arithmetic. In a sport where a rail can undo an hour’s work, London was decided by four penalties, just over five seconds and, most memorably, nineteen hundredths.
