WEXFORD’s Bertram Allen and Molly Malone finished fourth in last Saturday night’s €300,000 five-star Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix at Estoril in Portugal, earning €30,000.
Just five of the 23 starters jumped clear in the opening round to make it into the jump-off under the lights. Allen and the 13-year-old Molly Malone (Kannan x Cavalier), owned by Ballywalter Farms, lowered a single fence, when last to jump, and crossed the line in a time of 46.05 seconds.
Victory went to Israel’s Danielle Goldstein and Lizziemary, a mare formerly ridden by Ireland’s Billy Twomey. A brilliant effort saw them jump clear, when third to go against the clock, stopping the clock in 45.56 to take the winner’s prize of almost €100,000.
Dutch rider Maikel Van der Vleuten produced the only other clear round to finish as runner-up with VDL Groep Arera C. Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs took third spot on the podium with Clooney, finishing a second faster than Allen.
Harrie Smolders keeps hold of his overall ranking lead. The Dutchman now sits on 207 points overall, with his fellow countryman Maikel van der Vleuten leaping up to second with 185 points. Germany’s Christian Ahlmann drops to third place with 180 points, but with all three in action for LGCT Chantilly all eyes will be on the Championship battle as round 10 kicks off in France.
Allen and his grey mare had earlier picked up a third place finish in the one round 1.60m class, finishing clear in 67.15 seconds to collect €27,000.
CONTROVERSY
Allen’s team Valkenswaard United retained their lead at the head of the Global Champions League table during a night filled with drama in Portugal, where the winners, Miami Glory, were disqualified due to an FEI ruling.
The team of Cian O’Connor, Scott Brash and Georgina Bloomberg led after Thursday’s opening round, where both O’Connor and Bloomberg produced superb clear jumping rounds. O’Connor, riding Lille Keenan’s Super Sox, went on to finish in third place individually in the 1.55m class.
A massive 20 combinations jumped clear in the opening round with O’Connor and Super Sox jumping clear again in the second round in a time of 46.52. Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs and Clooney took the winner’s prize with a time of 43.24, while America’s Jack Towell finished second with New York (44.67).
Leg nine of the series itself threw up a series of tests of strategy for the squads with several teams opting to switch riders and horses to try and maximise their score. Four teams started on zero scores in Round 2: Miami Glory, Rome Gladiators, Paris Panthers and Doha Fursan Qatar.
O’Connor again returned with another clear on Saturday with Super Sox and was joined by Brash and Hello Forever, who produced a spectacular winning round building on the team’s impressive clean score sheet from the first round. But the FEI disqualified Scott due to a trace of blood on his horse (see panel for more on this rule).
Valkenswaard United started Round 2 on only four faults but there was a further upset when Marcus Ehning and Funky Fred had faults at the first two parts of the Longines triple combination leaving the team on a total of 12 and ending in third place.
DISQUALIFICATION
Hello Forever, the mount of Britain’s Scott Brash was disqualified after a tiny amount of blood was found on his flank after winning the Global Champions League in Estoril, Portugal.
RULE: Article 242.3.1 states that disqualification is mandatory if the horse is found to be bleeding on the flank(s)
COMMENTS ON HELLO FOREVER’S DISQUALIFICATION
“It was a shame this evening, for what happened with Scott. It’s a rule, but it’s a rule the FEI have to change. I know how much Scott looks after his horses, how great he is with his team of horses, and he didn’t deserve that at all. It’s a rule but I think these things have to change.” JAN TOPS, co-owner of the Global Champions Tour
“I consider myself to be the ultimate animal lover and advocate, and am the first to stand up for an animal who is being mistreated. In this situation I can find absolutely no wrong doing or abuse at all.” GEORGINA BLOOMBERG, rider and co-owner of Miami Glory
“Disqualification under this rule does not imply that there was any intent to injure the horse, but the rule exists to protect horses competing in FEI events. FEI officials work on-site at all FEI events and one of their roles is to ensure the FEI protocol regarding blood on the horse is respected.” FEI spokesperson