Ella Dalton said that had someone told her, last night, that she would win the British Speed Derby on her first attempt, she’d have said “no chance!”
But the 21-year-old rider and Quality Rubies N Diamonds put in a superb debut performance at Hickstead this afternoon (24 June), tipping just one rail to finish on 101.72, a squeak ahead of fellow first-timers William Rekert and Concert Z.
“It’s emotional,” said a delighted and somewhat disbelieving Ella as her win was still sinking in. “And quite shocking that I managed to win. I was trying to enjoy it, but the bank is actually quite high. I was quite scared by that! But when you’re on a horse who’s bold and brave, you get braver.”
Ella took on the mare, who was owned by Dave Jones and Sue Walker of Duckhurst Farm, as a six-year-old, and the pair jumped in the 2021 newcomers final at Horse of the Year Show, after which she was sold.
“She jumped abroad for a bit but they didn’t get on with her, so they gifted her back to me,” Ella said. “We’ve got a few free horses! I’m very lucky. She’s really chilled at home; Mum hacks her out and she’s a proper granny’s hack, but at shows she gets excited.
“I didn’t really think this would be her sort of class, but I’ve had a few lessons with Elliott Rowe and he’s transformed our rounds, so a lot of this is down to him. I can’t believe it.”
William and Alan Fazakerley’s gelding had put in a scorching but controlled round, just tipping one of the Hickstead planks after a leap off the Irish bank, at only their first show together.
“We picked him up last weekend!” William said. “This is the fourth time I’ve sat on him, so I’m very pleased with that.”
William said he has had some help from four-time speed Derby winner Guy Williams, who “knows what he’s doing”, and made the most of the scopey 12-year-old gelding’s speed as he was bellowed home by the crowd.
“If you’d said last week I’d finish in the top five, I’d have said no chance,” he said.
Third-placed Jay Halim and Zuniek VD Tojopehoeve Z have only been together a few months but they set an early lead, tipping only the first part of fence two, as Ella did, and showing an effortless turn of speed to finish on 106.21 – despite Jay’s less than ideal preparation for the class.
“I was doing a working hunter class, so I only got on her 10 minutes before!” he said. “So I wasn’t entirely in the zone, but she was amazing. I’m really pleased to have her, and grateful to her owners Agrarian for giving me this opportunity.”
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