It was a case of déjà vu for Alexander Butler last week as he ended his trip to Balmoral International CSI** in spectacular fashion by clinching victory in the Barclays Communications and Bottle Green International Grand Prix for the second consecutive year.

Riding Harold McGahern’s 14-year-old Touchdown gelding Will Wimble, Butler not only claimed the winner’s share of the £21,500 prize fund but was also awarded the leading international and speed rider of the show.

Speaking after the win, Butler said: “Will Wimble is a great horse and he really showed his true form today. This is his third win in the Grand Prix at Balmoral, winning first in 2011 and then again last year. It was a strong start-list but he has the ability and experience to win these big classes. He has been jumping great this week, winning the Top Score yesterday so I was confident that he would feature in the line-up.”

Butler had earlier in the week claimed the two-phase class with Vimminka.

“The horses went very well and I am particularly pleased with Vimminka, who won the two-phase on Wednesday,” he said. “The plan is to step up a level with her and hopefully get selected for some Nations Cup teams in the future.”

Course designer Steve Williams set a technical challenge for the 27 Grand Prix starters, including fence five, a vertical off the pocket, and a vertical to a double of oxers at 12 that caused its fair share of problems.

First to go, Kildare’s Edward Doyle riding Samgemjee came home carrying just four faults in 70.03 seconds. It wasn’t until nine combinations later that the first clear was delivered by Douglas Duffin and Quidam BZ. Following Duffin’s foot-perfect round, a further four combinations delivered clears.

With 25% of the start list going through to the second round, the two fastest faulters, Paul Barker riding Temple Ryefield (69.88) and James Smith riding Hope Springs (68.60), also secured their place.

Approach

The second round saw the introduction of a new fence, the Barclays vertical at 15. For those with a win in mind, time could be made up in the turn back from fence three to four and then in the approach to the last by taking an inside line.

First to go with Temple RyeField, England’s Paul Barker lucked out when he added another four faults to his tally at 12a. However his final tally of eight faults in 39.03 proved good enough for fifth place.

James Smith had faulted at the first fence with Hope Springs in the opening round but things didn’t improve as he added another 14 faults to his score, which saw him finish in eighth place.

First of the clears, Douglas Duffin and Quidam BZ left all the poles remained in their cups to take the lead, but a single time fault when crossing the line in 43.17 would later prove costly.

Next in, George Whitaker and Willetton failed to keep a clean sheet when faulting at both parts of the combination, finishing on a score of eight faults in 41.90 for eventual sixth place.

All eyes were on the next two riders, brothers Edward and Alexander Butler. First of the family to take it on was Edward, riding Cornet’s Son. Butler opted to take the safer route to fence four and then the longer route again to the final vertical. Four faults at the last along with a time fault (44.97) meant he had to settle for fourth place.

Next to go with Will Wimble, Alexander Butler took the inside line to fence four and several tight lines throughout the course meant he had time to spare and could afford to take a safer approach to the final vertical. His clever riding paid off as he lodged a clear in 41.21, which put him into the lead.

Only last to go Sameh El Dahan and WKD Pepperpot could deny Butler a win. The pair set off at a blistering pace and Butler’s lead looked under threat but a daring gallop to the last cost the Egyptian visitor dearly as the poles fell to the floor. He crossed the line with four faults in 41.29 for third place.

Earlier in the day, action in the international classes began with the Volvo International Ride and Drive, in which riders had to combine their riding over fences with their driving skills in the sponsor’s Volvo around a series of obstacles.

Daniel Coyle emerged as the victor. Despite losing time when Uptown Girl refused at one fence, they still managed to come home as the fastest combination in 122.11 seconds, claiming the majority of the £2,000 prize fund. Alexander Butler and Vimminka finished second in 125.27 seconds, while Clem Mc Mahon and Any Questions occupied third place in 127.42.

Rebecca Mc Goldrick and Alvarez slotted into fourth place (129.93), while fifth place went to James Smith and Cumina (132.7), ahead of Peter Smyth and Admiran Cassio (143.94).

In the Aon Risk Services International Accumulator, the winner was decided early as first in Peter Smyth riding Victoria Rose recorded the maximum score of 65 in 44.27. From the start-list of 30 combinations, nine delivered the maximum score of 65. 

Speaking after his win, Smyth said: “Going first in any class is hard as you have nothing to chase. In the accumulator you need to be aiming for the maximum score and really going for it.

“When the mare was younger she was a bit daunted by the big arena but now that she has matured and settled into her job, it takes nothing out of her.”

It was a very close class and Smyth’s lead was threatened early as Frank Curran riding New World clocked 49.48 which temporarily put them into second place. Curran’s place was challenged as Marion Hughes riding HHS Flo was less than two seconds behind Curran in 51.10.

The leader board changed again as Meath’s Edward Butler and Caugherty came home in 46.67, which served to demote Curran to third place.

Going late in the class, Sophie Dalm and Unique maintained a good pace from the off and a good turn back to the joker fence saw the combination cross the line 50.66 for eventual fourth, ahead of Hughes in fifth.

Canadian rider Rebecca McGoldrick had her foot firmly to the floor on Fleur IV, but despite recording the maximum score, their time of 51.65 left her in sixth place overall.