William Fox-Pitt remained at the head of affairs on the final day of Equi-Trek Bramham Horse Trials, winning the CCI*** on Chilli Morning and the CIC*** on Neuf Des Coeurs.
He had several showjumps in hand on Christopher Stone’s Chilli Morning, and only needed one of them to win by 10 marks from Pippa Funnell and Mirage D’Elle, who jumped one of just five clear rounds in the showjumping. It was William’s sixth victory in the CCI*** at Bramham.
William, who has ridden the stallion for less than two months, said: “I really enjoy riding him. He wants to do his best and you can’t ask for more than that.”
Izzy Taylor leapt up the order from 17th after dressage to take third on the 15.2hh mare Briarlands Matilda, and Vittoria Panizzon performed a similar feat with a double clear for fourth on Borough Pennyz.
Earlier in the day, William had won the CIC*** on Margie and David Hall and Jeremy and Judith Skinner’s Neuf Des Coeurs.
“What a difference two weeks can make – at Houghton we fell flat on our faces,” said William, who completed on his dressage score of 38.7.
Next was Andrew Nicholson, who also finished on his 42 dressage mark with Nereo, while Zara Phillips made a serious push for Olympic selection in third on High Kingdom, also faultless with 43.2.
Lenamore and Caroline Powell were fourth.
Victory in the Bishop Burton under-25 CCI*** went to France’s Astier Nicolas, riding the inexperienced nine-year-old Piaf De B’Neville. He jumped one of just three showjumping clears in this section to capitalise on Laura Collett and Noble Bestman’s four faults.
Third behind Astier and Laura was Sarah Stretton with Skip On II.
Sadly, two horses collapsed and died on Saturday during the CCI*** cross-country. Jagganath, clear inside the time at his first CCI*** for Michael Jackson, suffered fatal heart problems after pulling up at the finish, and Clea Phillipps’ four-star campaigner Lead The Way died of suspected heart problems after jumping the first element of fence 17.
