Gent makes a Splash
Bolesworth Al Shira’aa Young Horse Championships, Bolesworth Castle, Cheshire
BRITISH breeding came out on top in the Al Shira’aa seven-year-old championship when Olivia Gent piloted her home-bred Brownheath Bodacious to a bold 1.7sec victory.
At the conclusion of a searing, plus-30°C week, 20 hopefuls were still vying for the £2,000 first prize by the final round, along with one of the qualifying slots for the World Breeding Championships at Lanaken.
The first competitive clear came from second-to-go Jake Saywell, who delivered a deceptively economical round with his father Andrew’s Kabaya Lady.
His lead held until midfield, when Olivia overthrew his target on her Noble Warrior gelding, who is out of a No Limit mare.
“The best four British-bred horses qualify for Lanaken, which was what I was really aiming to do and as there were only four British-bred horses in the jump-off, it took the pressure off and I was able to go for it,” Olivia said. “He was absolutely amazing. I was standing there shaking watching the rest of the jump-off.”
The unusually-marked gelding – known as “Splash” at home because of the splash of white on his quarters – was unfazed by the weather, attacking the course from start to finish.
“It suited me that it was hot as he is quite a hot horse. He has so much blood, he doesn’t really know what tired is,” she added.
“I can always trust him to be careful; if
