One of the fastest horses in the Mars Badminton Horse Trials field, Sarah Ennis’ Grantstown Jackson, might be a tiger on the track but he’s quite the opposite as a character. The 13-year-old Clover Brigade gelding impressed at the European Championships in Haras du Pin last year, when he clocked the second fastest time of the day from first draw, and is likely to climb up the order through the jumping phases. They scored 36.4, just 0.1 shy of their personal best at four- and five-star.
“It’s not his strongest phase, but he’s getting better and better, and we only missed one change today,” says Sarah. “He’s such a loveable character, who wants to live in your pocket and eat Polos. You could give him to a two-year-old to lead; he’s so sweet he wants to live in your house.
“I don’t think he was the easiest horse when they backed him and it’s taken years to learn about his character and personality, but now he’s become a friend, who thinks life is great – and he just wants Polos.”
Sarah explains that he takes a lot of confidence from her, as “Jackie” is naturally a “worrier”.
“He’s super-sensitive, the most sensitive horse I’ve ever had – maybe that’s what makes him amazing,” she says. “You have to have your tails pinned down, his ears quiet – he wears covers, but they have to be the right length because if the front bangs on his head, he hates it. He says ‘oh my god what’s happening?’, and I’ll say ‘good boy Jackie, it’s all right’ and he’s OK. He listens when I say he’s a good boy, so when I go cross-country you’ll hear me saying, ‘good boy Jackie’ all the way round. If I even change my voice or say ‘Jackson’, he’ll stress.”
For Sarah and Jackie, the “weakest phase is done with” and they can now look forward to the jumping. His dam is thoroughbred and his sire an Irish Sport Horse by Clover Hill, making him around 80% blood.
“Cross-country would be his strongest phase; he gallops like there’s no tomorrow,” Sarah says. “He’s incredibly fast. He just covers the ground. At home at the start of the year he’s a bit cheeky and he’ll bolt up the gallops – there’s nothing I can do, so I just let him go and know he’ll stop at the top. He has a lot of thoroughbred blood and while that doesn’t always make a difference, he rides like one.”
Mark your cards; this is a pair to watch around Eric Winter’s track on cross-country day.
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