IN a result that went right to the wire, British junior silver medallist Georgia Bartlett trounced a field of seniors to win the HSI CCI3*-L at her very first attempt at this level. Sitting behind British international Harry Meade who had filled the top two placings overnight, as well as Michael McNally and Daniel Alderson, Bartlett’s chances of promotion looked slim.

Not daunted, however, the 18-year-old coolly produced an immaculate show jumping clear with Spano de Nasca, and then watched unbelievably as all four of the remainder failed to emulate it. Meade even had a fence in hand with his final ride Red Kite, but even this cushion could not secure him the win. “My show jumping used to be my weak phase,” she laughed. “But we’ve been working on it and luckily it’s improved!”

Currently embarking on a gap year which she intends to spend competing, Bartlett has three horses to event from her home in Berkshire including the 13-year-old Spano de Nasca.

It was not Harry Meade’s day. Although he settled for second and third places with Gideon and Red Kite, he was rueing the fact that his third ride, Monbeg Medlar, had been awarded a late 20 penalties for a resistance into the water in the country. Second out on track at 8.05 am, this delayed decision was not posted online until much later in the day, and having jumped one of only five show jumping clears, it ultimately denied the son of Emperor Augustus a win.

Nevertheless, Meade was pragmatic, and pleased with his placed horses, both of whom he sourced as four-year-olds. “It’s nice when they come up through the ranks,” he said. “I love coming back here, the tracks are proper, flowing courses over real eventing terrain.”

Having just rolled one pole both Michael McNally (Eclipto) and Daniel Alderson (Chance Encounter) slipped to fourth and fifth, while Lucy Latta and the clean jumping RCA Patron Saint led a cluster of Irish riders to fill sixth. Others to feature prominently were seventh placed Clare Abbott (Jewelent), andcompleting the top 10 was Jamie Nolan (Corrahoe Charmer) in eighth and Felicity Ward with Regal Bounty (10th).

Out in the country on Saturday, Mike-Etherington-Smith’s tracks produced a good balance of faults. The Horse Sport Ireland Shamrock water was one of the bogeys as was the Tattersalls birds nest corners.