A LOT of people were delighted when the Nicola Wilson-partnered Mattie Clover, who topped last year’s Goresbridge Go For Gold Sale, made a winning British debut in a BE100 class at Lincolnshire last Friday.

The 2012 Newmarket Venture gelding was consigned to the sale by Sophie Richards and Steve Smith who had purchased him as a broken and riding three-year-old in the autumn of 2015. Having been given time to develop and running under the Gurtera pre-fix of his breeder James Bradley, the horse did a small bit of show jumping and had four quiet runs under Eventing Ireland rules before heading to the sales.