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Hoy takes over the driving seat at Luhmuehlen
Sunday, June 15th, 2008
Andrew Hoy took
over the lead on a drama-filled cross-country afternoon at Luhmuehlen today
where the third leg of the HSBC FEI Classics™ series continued to build to a
crescendo.
Hoy's Australian colleague, Lucinda Fredericks, was out in
front with Headley Brittania after a superb dressage test on Friday but decided
to withdraw at the last moment today, so when Germany's Simone Deitermann lost
her grip on runner-up spot due to a cross-country glitch with Flambeau it was
third-placed Hoy who swept ahead following a superb tour of the track with the
brilliant Moonfleet.
"He was copybook!" the delighted rider said about
his handsome horse just moments after dismounting. "We were clear jumping, and
inside the time by about four seconds I think. The time wasn't easy to get, but
Moonfleet is a thoroughbred and a great Irish horse and I knew he could do it!"
he added.
A STIFF
CHALLENGE.... Not everyone found the stiff 4-Star challenge so
agreeable however. From the starting field, which was reduced to 23 after
Fredericks' withdrawal, just 16 completed. There were two eliminations -
Ireland's Sarah Wardell and Kincluny, lying 21st after dressage, falling just
two fences from home and Italy's Alberto Giugni, lying 23rd with Catherston
Defender, disappearing from the reckoning after three refusals. Giugni also
retired his second ride, The Nightflight, while three of the British contingent
called it a day including James Robinson with Comanche, Fiona Hobby with Smart
Approach and Julia Crowson with Jakata and French rider Arnaud Boiteau pulled up
with Expo du Moulin at fence 10.
Hoy's finishing time of 10.59 minutes
was indeed well inside the time limit of 11.04 and the only other rider to beat
the clock was Frenchman Didier Dhennin. Riding Ismene du Temple, the horse with
which he claimed European team silver at Pratoni in 2007 and European team
bronze at Blenheim in 2005, Dhennin crossed the line in 11.03 and this rocketed
him up from 13th place after dressage to hold second position going into
tomorrow's final show jumping phase.
Next in line is William Fox-Pitt who
is currently lying fifth on the HSBC FEI Classics™ standings. The British star
collected just 3.60 time cross-country time penalties today with Macchiato and
is strongly positioned to take over at the top of the HSBC FEI Classics™
leaderboard if he can keep pole position in his sights tomorrow afternoon. But
while Hoy has more than eight points of an advantage over second-placed Dhennin,
Fox-Pitt is only 0.4 points ahead of Germany's Frank Ostholt and Little
Paint.
PRE-OLYMPIC... Ostholt was one of many
German riders who lined out in today's CIC 3-Star competition as part of their
pre-Olympic programme and while he was disappointed with the surprise stop which
dropped his top horse, Air Jordan, from third to 20th he was pleased with his
other ride, Mr Medicott, who lies 10th going into the final day. He was even
more pleased with his 4-Star partner Little Paint who, like Fox-Pitt's
Macchiato, picked up just 3.6 time penalties in an otherwise foot-perfect
performance. A silly run-out at the third element of the final water complex at
fence 27 put paid to Little Paint's 4-Star chances here last year - "it is quite
narrow" Ostholt pointed out after finishing today, "and it is a good question
late on the track but today we got into a good rhythm and he stayed fresh and
kept his line all the way around the course so I was very happy with him" he
said.
Australia's Stuart Tinney rose from overnight 13th to fifth spot
when adding just 4 time penalties to his tally with Vettori, but Britain's Julie
Tew's eight time penalties with Sir Roselier proved costly as she dropped from
third to sixth. HAPPY TO
RIDE... Event Director, Julia Otto, confirmed that Lucinda
Fredericks had withdrawn due to concerns over the firm ground but Ostholt
pointed out that "eventing is an outdoor sport and the team here had a difficult
job and did their best" while Andrew Hoy had no complaints about the going. "For
me it was fine - my horse felt healthy and I was happy to ride him out there.
I've been here many times and, wet or dry, I have complete faith in the
organisers" he said.
The 48 year old rider was also feeling a little
relieved, because at last it seems he should be able to clinch that all-import
Olympic qualifying spot which evaded him when things went so remarkably awry in
Badminton last month. "Yes, Moonfleet felt so good over the first four fences at
Badminton and then we had the fall at the fifth fence - I knew going out today
that I needed a qualifying result. If I didn't finish today and I don't finish
tomorrow then that would be the end of it" he explained.
That fall left
the Sydney Olympic silver medallist with a shoulder injury that kept him out of
the saddle for two weeks. "I flew to Germany right away and saw the German team
doctor and Bettina kept Moonfleet going for me. Last week she had him working in
the German team training camp - we've been out here for a few weeks ahead of
Luhmuehlen" he added.
FAMILY
AFFAIR.... And it was quite a family affair for the Hoys today as
Andrew's wife, Bettina Hoy who rides for Germany, steered that other evergreen
Irish-bred Ringwood Cockatoo to retain her lead in the CIC
3-Star.
Tomorrow is another day however, and event riders know only too
well that all can change in the show jumping ring on the final afternoon. Andrew
Hoy has the luxury of being able to afford two fences down, but he won't want to
be using up any of his luck and with Dhennin waiting to pounce, the
ultra-competitive Fox-Pitt lurking just a fraction behind and a hungry Frank
Ostholt also waiting in the wings the Australian needs to keep his concentration
- and Moonfleet needs to leave those fences in place....
RESULT AFTER CROSS COUNTRY: 1,
Moonfleet (Andrew Hoy) Aus 39.30; 2, Ismene du Temple (Didier Dhennin) Fra
48.20; 3, Macchiato (William Fox-Pitt) GBR 51.00; 4, Little Paint (Frank
Ostholt) Ger 51.40; 5, Vettori (Stuart Tinney) Aus 52.20; 6, Sir Roselier (Julie
Tew) GBR 53.00; 7, Adm. V Schnieder (Dirk Schrade) Ger 69.50; 8, Karascada
(Kai-Steffen Meier) Ger 71.10; 9, Look Out (Julie Tew) GBR 71.30; 10, Balmoral
Cavalier (Emily Anker) Aus 72.70; 11, Flambeau (Simone Deitermann) Ger 74.60;
12, I've Been Dun (Sacha Pemble) Irl 79.80; 13, Chill Out Bob (Jeanette
Brakewell) GBR 89.90; 14, SS Jett (Karin Donckers) Bel 95.40; 15, Axia (Luisa
Palli) Ita 103.50; 16, howecote Psammite (Julie Lawson) GBR 132.40.
The HSBC FEI CLASSICS is a new FEI series linking the five
4-Star Eventing competitions currently on the international
calendar.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
2008: 1, Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event (USA) 24-27 April; 2,
Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR) 1-4 May; 3, Luhmuhlen CCI****
presented by EON (Ger) 12-15 June; 4, Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (GBR) 4-7
September; 5, FINAL - Les Etoiles de Pau (FRA) 22-26 October.
POINTS SYSTEM: Points will be awarded to
the top ten riders at each event as follows: 1st: 15 points 2nd: 12
points 3rd: 10 points 4th: 8 points 5th: 6 points 6th : 5
points 7th: 4 points 8th: 3 points 9th: 2 points 10th: 1
point
Riders can only win points with their best horse/performance at one
event and if the combination has obtained a qualifying result. Only the top ten
riders will score points. Tie-Break: In case of equality of ranking points,
the best-placed rider is the competitor with the lowest total of penalty points
at the specific event (=differentiating score).
PRIZE MONEY HSBC will contribute
US$1million to the series over the next three years. At the end of each season,
the five riders with the greatest number of points will be awarded PRIZE-MONEY
as follows: Series Champion - US$ 150,000; 2nd - US$ 75,000; 3rd - US$
50,000; 4th - US$ 33,333; 5th - US$ 25,000.
This represents the biggest
prize pot on offer in the sport of eventing on an annual basis.
USEFUL
INFORMATION For further information on the third leg of the 2008
HSBC FEI Classics™ check out website www.luhmuehlen.de.
For more information about the HSBC FEI ClassicsTM, please check the official website
www.feiworldcup.org.
