BRITAIN’s Robert Whitaker became the fourth member of his family to win the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby last Sunday, coming out on top of a three-way jump-off with Caroline Blatchford’s Gentlemen VD Veldhof.

Whitaker (42) has had plenty of success at the West Sussex venue as he won the King George V Gold Cup in 2023 and the Agria Nations Cup of Great Britain in 2024, both with Vermento. With this year’s Al Shira’aa Derby win, Robert and his father John Whitaker – a four-time Derby champion – have become the only father and son to win the Hickstead Derby. Asked what it meant to him to win, he said: “Hickstead is special, and the Derby is a special class. Al Shira’aa have really supported it, and that’s great for the sport.”