BRITAIN’s Harriet Nuttall signed off day two at the TheraPlateUK Liverpool International Horse Show with a memorable victory in the four-star jump-off class.

Somerset-based Harriet won the competitive class with the Irish-bred 10-year-old gelding Galway Bay Jed, by Romanov who was bred by Justin Burke.

Twelve combinations from 31 starters made it through to the the jump-off, and it was Nuttall who prevailed in a time of 34.40 seconds.

And that proved enough to eclipse the time of Germany’s Tobias Mayer with Queentina, while Sweden’s Angelie von Essen finished third on Cochella.

A delighted Harriet Nuttall said: “The horse has had a bit of a break, and he has come back and feels so good. I wasn’t meant to go that fast, but he was really, really good. He kept working hard and giving it everything, and I feel when you are jumping a four-star class that you just know the time to push on.

“Tobias was really fast, and I am so happy to have won. The horse felt amazing all the way through.”

WIN FOR EL DAHAN

Saturday’s opening four-star competition at Liverpool – a speed class sponsored by The Pullman Hotel – went to Egypt’s Sameh El Dahan on the Irish Sport Horse Miss G Tracy.

Sameh, riding the 14-year-old chesnut mare Miss G Tracy (by Douglas), who was bred by Joseph Gallagher, clocked a clear round in 57.22 seconds to eclipse Germany’s Tobias Meyer aboard Couer de Lion 22 in 57.26, while rising British star Harry Charles took third aboard Doulita.

“It is always exciting to have a good win at the very start of the week because it keeps you confident for the rest of the week,” Sameh said.

“There were so many fast riders in the class, so I knew I had to give it my all, and then if I am lucky, I am standing on the podium at the end.

“The mare is quite a new horse for me. It was a bit of a gamble because she is 13 and she hadn’t jumped for a year, but we really liked her and decided to buy her. She has been going from strength to strength.

“We have been getting to know her, maybe four or five shows together, and it was great to to get the right result on the day. She is very brave and quite quick, so there is a lot to like about her. When she trusts the rider, she gets better. It’s a big atmosphere here - there is such a buzz - and as riders, you really feel that,” said El Dahan.

TWOMEY THIRD

Cork’s Billy Twomey came close in the Horseware Ireland-sponsored CSI4* 1.50m jump-off last Sunday, taking third with the 10-year-old stallion Chat Botte E.D. (by Casall), owned by himself and Sue Davies.

Britain’s Holly Smith in second with the 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Claddagh Iroko (Iroko x Cruising), while the win went to Luxembourg’s Charlotte Bettendorf with the nine-year-old Casall mare Hope Street.

Conor Swail was sixth with the 13-year-old bay Bon Ami mare Flower, owned by himself and Vanessa Mannix, while Shane Breen was seventh with the nine-year-old Caretino stallion Clyde VA, owned by Breen Equestrian and Pelikano Gida Vedis Ticaret.

Britain’s Tabitha Kyle, no stranger to winning at Cavan Equestrian, won the Powder Systems 138cms Championship on Tanya Kyle’s 15-year-old grey gelding Lisduff Royal, while Ireland’s Max Foley was just outside the top five, coming sixth with Emma Banks’ 11-year-old gelding Mayfly Green Peter.