IZZY Taylor’s undisputed position as queen of Irish international events remains intact, after she landed a nail-biting victory in the feature Irish Field CCI3*.

With less than a fence separating the top four, and holding third spot overnight, Taylor had to wait until the final moments before her placing was secured. Her clear round on the tricky Call Me Maggie May had put pressure on both the American rider Will Coleman (OBOS O Reilly) and the Swedish leader Ludvig Svennerstal (El Kazir SP) and when both tipped a rail, it was Taylor who emerged on top.

“It was always the early-season goal,” said the Oxfordshire rider, whose skill in the saddle was much applauded. “Maggie is a feisty mare, but she really wants to jump. She ideally would have preferred a bit more cut in the ground and, as a result, needed a bit of encouragement in the country.”

Taylor has been a regular visitor to Tattersalls, and indeed won the same class with Allercombe Ellie four years ago. “It’s a special event for me,” she added, “and more so this year, because I have bought my two children, Lily and Fred, along with me.”

Call Me Maggie May (by the KWPN sire Hamar) is owned by Tom Strong and was sourced by his mother Sarah as a four-year-old. “She’s very precious to us, because Tom was very ill when I bought her,” she explained. “When he got strong enough, he produced her to intermediate before Izzy took over the ride.”

Also jumping clear to move into second spot, and sharing the same completion score as the winner, was a visibly delighted William Fox-Pitt, riding Little Fire. It had been a mixed week for the popular Olympian, who unusually had twice endured extremely wet soakings in the water.

“It’s lovely to be in the hunt in a competition of this calibre,” he remarked. “It is no secret that I’m very fond of Tattersalls, and it’s not by chance I keep returning here. Aside from the obvious benefits of the facilities and the hospitality, the courses here are so educational.”

The German-bred Little Fire, headed CCIYH* class back in 2016, and is considered by his rider to be a very smart prospect. “He’s as good as anything I’ve had, and he’s the one who makes me smile each day,” he added of the nine-year-old, who is by Graf Top out of a thoroughbred mare.

Although Ludvig Svennerstal lost out on pole position, he was pragmatic in defeat. Teaming up with the former Chuffy Clarke-ridden Le Kazir SP, the Swede had looked on track to jump a clear before a miscommunication saw him crash through the parallel at the seventh. “We perhaps didn’t find the best rhythm, but nevertheless I’m pleased with him, and hope he will be my ride for WEG in September.”

CLEVER TRACK

Initially Ian Stark’s cross-country course was considered to be fairly straightforward, to the extent that the designer revealed: “I did wonder at the beginning that I had made it a bit too easy. I could have tightened up the questions, but you can’t keep over testing them – and it was great to see horses jumping so well on the ground.”

In the end the track proved a clever one, catching out 11 of the 43 starters. Among these were dressage leaders Alex Hua Tian and Don Geniro, who walked home having picked up an early 20 penalties at the first element of the Connolly’s Red Mills mound (5a).

In seventh spot overnight, Ireland’s Jonty Evans (Ciara M) retired after two refusals, the first incurring at the influential first element of the Eventing Ireland Sunken Road, and the second at the similarly problematic Horse Sport Ireland water complex (20a). The former fence also accounted for penalties for Kevin McNab (Brookfield Innocent) as well as the well-placed Tim Price (Up In The Air).

“Some riders felt that the horses didn’t read the sunken road and the landing was quite steep,” commented McNab afterwards.

Ireland’s main hopes rested on Austin O’Connor (Kilpatrick Knight) and Sam Watson (Tullabeg Flamenco) who, after two brilliant spins across the country, were sitting handily in fifth and 10th positions. These were reversed after the show jumping however, when a clear round saw Watson promoted to seventh, while with two fences on the floor, O’Connor slipped to 11th. “There’s a lot more in the tank for Flamenco,” said Watson of Vahe Bogossian’s striking dun. “I was really impressed with his speed and stamina and we will now consider either Millstreet or Pau as the end of season aim.”

Another outstanding performance came from Sian Hawkes, who although running under the British flag, piloted Maurice Coleman’s Kilroe Hero into 13th spot. Sarah Dowley, who was the remaining Irish runner, also enjoyed a good run on Saturday and was among the 31 riders to complete.