BRITAIN’s Tom McEwen enjoyed a fantastic run of form at the Land Rover Blair Castle Horse Trials last weekend, winning both the four-star and three-star long format classes.

He landed the CCI4*-L with Martin Belsham’s mare Luna Mist when, with two fences in hand, they produced one of just two clears in the final show jumping phase to finish on 32.3. Oliver Townend slotted into second place with Paul Ridgeon’s eight-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare Cooley Rosalent (Valent x Roselier).

The Woods Rosbotham-bred grey, who was in the lead after dressage but added 12.2 cross-country penalties, produced the only other clear over the coloured fences to finish on 41.6. “She’s never felt so good or so spectacular,” Townend said afterwards. “She’s had a great experience over proper four-star tracks and she’s done nothing that tells me she isn’t a five-star horse.” He added that she may well be aimed at Maryland CCI5* towards the end of the season.

Susie Berry finished in fifth place with the nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Kilcandra Capitol (Orrestus x Hallodri), bred by Kilcandra Stud. The pair opened on a dressage score of 36.5 and added 13.6 time penalties across the country, plus eight show jumping faults to finish on 58.1.

McEwen double

McEwen landed the CCI3*-L on the Irish Sport Horse Brookfield Cavalier Cruise, owned by Alison Swinburn and John and Chloe Perry. The pair led from the start and finished on their dressage score of 22.9, over eight points clear of runner-up, Britain’s Sam Ecroyd with Withington (31). By Cavalier Carnival, Brookfield Cavalier Cruise was bred by Martin Ryan out of the Atlantic Cruise mare Ryans Cruise.

The Irish Sport Horse Cooley Pot of Gold (Baltic VDL x Harlequin Du Carel), bred by Judy Tobin and Aoife Healion, finished third on 31.9 under Wills Oakden. Ireland’s Padraig McCarthy finished sixth with Emma De Haan’s Lady Ophelia, completing on his dressage score of 34.8.

Victory in the four-star short went the way of Frenchman Astier Nicolas with Babylon de Gamma. They finished on a score of 27.2, just adding 1.2 show jumping time penalties to their dressage score. Townend was once again runner-up, this time with Sir John Peace’s As Is (30.2), ahead of McEwen with the Irish-bred Brookfield Quality (OBOS Quality x Cavalier Royale), bred by Sean Kelly.

The seven-year-old gelding Keep It Cooley (Ramiro B x Master Imp), bred by Georgina Philips, won the CCI2*-L under Britain’s Will Oakden, finishing on their dressage score of 28.3.

Tiggy’s Trust also facilitated a rider development trip to Blair and a full report on that event will appear in next week’s paper.