Tag Archives: AP McCoy

Competitions, Driving, Show Jumping

Wins for AP McCoy and Maikel Van der Vleuten on Race Night at Olympia

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Jockeys of a different kind stole the show on day four of Olympia, The London International Horse Show. Ten of the most renowned jockeys from the world of flat and National Hunt racing took to the Olympia Grand Hall for the Markel Champions Challenge in aid of the Injured Jockeys Fund, with Sir AP McCoy’s team of ‘legends’ coming out on top.

The day kicked off with the Olympia Senior Showing Series Championships sponsored by Anthony D Evans Insurance. Jayne Harper and her 20-year-old black gelding, Crimewave II, triumphed in the ridden section and Alice Stratton and the 13-year-old Welsh Section B gelding Laithehill Pashsa won the in-hand final.

Three CSI5* Show Jumping competitions and a FEI World Cup Driving Leg provided top class international action from start to finish, with Maikel Van der Vleuten taking the pinnacle of the day’s Show Jumping, the 1.60m Longines Christmas Cracker. Meanwhile, showing his Dad how it is done, there was a win for Rocco Dettori in the Osborne Refrigerators Shetland Pony Grand National.

Cool-headed Dutchman Maikel Van der Vleuten, who has so often set the Olympia arena alight, was victorious again, this time on the 12-year-old bay mare VDL Groep Arera C in The Longines Christmas Cracker when shaving 0.19 seconds off the time of one of the world’s best horsemen, German Olympian Marcus Ehning (Comme Il Faut).

It was an international affair with Frenchman Simon Delestre third on Teavanta ll and another Dutchman, quiet horseman Harrie Smolders fourth on Cas.

There was no home cheer until ninth place, filled by Ben Maher on Don Vito, but the London Olympic gold medallist is now lying third in the Leading Rider of Show table.

In earlier classes, Belgium’s Francois Mathy Jnr set an unbeatable target from an early draw in The Snowflake Stakes, a speed class. Riding Falco van de Clehoeve, he held off a challenge from Britain’s Cayenne Puissance winner Laura Renwick, this time riding MHS Washington.

“Because I was so early to go I was hoping for a finish in the top five, so I am happy about how it finished,” said Francois. “This is the type of class where Falco has been quite competitive. He’s a special horse with a special personality.”

Germany’s Daniel Deusser, winner of the 2014 FEI World Cup Final, triumphed in a nine-horse jump-off in The Keith Prowse Snowman Stakes on SX Hidalgo VG.

Florida-based Amanda Derbyshire was fourth and highest placed Brit on Luibanta BH. Amanda, who is trained by Nick Skelton, and used to compete Olympic champion Big Star as a youngster, admitted that her aim was to be talent-spotted for the British team.

“It’s much warmer in Florida and I did wonder whether I wanted to travel over, but then I thought maybe I’d never get another invitation!” she said. “I was really quite over-excited when I arrived but I’m a bit more relaxed now. It’s fantastic to be here at Olympia.”

A stellar team of legendary jump jockeys trounced the flat jockeys in a thrilling Markel Champions Challenge in aid of the Injured Jockeys Fund.

The National Hunt jockeys, trained by Graham Fletcher and headed by the winning-most jockey of all time, Sir AP McCoy, joked that their ages added up to more than 300 years. Their best performance came from Ireland’s Charlie Swann, winner of three Champion Hurdles on Istabraq back in the 1990s, but former champions Peter Scudamore, Richard Dunwoody and John Francome, a former Junior European champion Show Jumper, showed they could still cut it.

The best performance from the flat jockeys, trained by Nick Skelton, came from captain Frankie Dettori, who said: “We gave it our best shot.”

Ijsbrand Chardon, the most experienced driver on the FEI World Cup circuit, treated the Olympia audience to a breath-taking display of rein-handling as he knocked favourite Boyd Exell into second place in the FEI World Cup Driving Leg presented by Dodson & Horrell.

First to go, Exell (AUS) set the bar high and the next four all picked up knockdown penalties. Penultimate to go, Benjamin Aillaud from France, who hasn’t competed in FEI World Cup competition for over a decade, posted a clear round, putting him second, but the Dutchman Chardon, twice a FEI World Cup champion, then took the course by storm, his horses responding to his every command. The win was his by 1.5 seconds, putting him in prime position for tomorrow’s final.

With a new mare in the lead, Chardon felt she was more settled. “Yesterday, she was a little over-awed by the atmosphere which is always so fantastic here. Today her concentration was better. Boyd had set such a standard, but today it all came together for me.”

GB’s representative, Daniel Naprous, whose day job is horsemaster to the display and stunt team The Devil’s Horsemen – recently taking the role of Darth Vader in Star Wars – put up a more assured performance, going clear until towards the end of obstacle two.

To find out more about Olympia, the London International Horse Show, visit www.olympiahorseshow.com.

For more information, please contact:
Olympia, The London International Horse Show:
Gayle Telford gayle@revolutionsports.co.uk 0203 176 0355

*Featured/Spotlights, Racing

Anthony McCoy and Frankie Dettori Announce Their Teams to Compete at Olympia

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Sir Anthony ‘AP’ McCoy and Frankie Dettori, MBE, have announced a stellar line-up of jockeys, past and present, to take part in the Markel Champions Challenge, in aid of the Injured Jockeys Fund at Olympia, The London International Horse Show (12-18 December 2017).

For the first time ever, ten of Britain’s most legendary jockeys will go head-to-head in the Olympia Grand Hall on the evening of Friday 15 December, for one of the all-time greatest jockey showdowns, as flat and jump jockeys compete on a level playing field. The competition will be part of Race Night at Olympia and will be hosted by renowned broadcaster, Clare Balding.

The most successful National Hunt jockey in history, AP McCoy, winner of 20 consecutive Championship titles and over 4,000 races, will be gunning for glory alongside his team of former racing stars. The line-up will include Richard Dunwoody, three-time Champion jockey with credits including two Grand National wins and four King George VI victories, two of which were aboard the illustrious Desert Orchid.

Eight-time Champion jockey Peter Scudamore and seven-time Champion jockey John Francome will be adding to the team’s long list of achievements, which between them includes 38 National Hunt Jockeys Championships. The final member of the team of Champions will be nine-time Irish Champion jockey, Charlie Swan, holder of the most winners ever ridden in an Irish race season, and three-time consecutive winner of the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham aboard the great Istabraq.

AP McCoy said: ‘I rode at Olympia in 2015 and it was great fun. Last year I had to watch the flat jockeys win so I decided to come back this year with the best possible team behind me and take the crown back for the jump jockeys!’

Representing the current generation of flat racing legends, Dettori and his teammates undoubtedly have the credentials to give McCoy’s gang a run for their money as they collide in the Markel Champions Challenge. The compelling line-up will consist of Ryan Moore, three-time Champion Jockey, with a history of achievements that have led to many hailing him as one of the world’s best flat jockeys. Moore will be accompanied by Richard Hughes, who after an extremely successful career, winning three Championship Series after over 25 years in the saddle, has channelled his knowledge to become a highly successful trainer.

Richard Hughes said: ‘It’s great to be involved in Olympia Horse Show and the Markel Champions Challenge. We will certainly be looking to set the pace against McCoy and his golden oldies! The event is also in aid of the Injured Jockeys Fund, a fantastic cause, and a great chance to raise awareness of the incredible work they do.’

Last season’s Champion jockey Jim Crowley will be adding to the team’s prestige, with a history of jump and flat racing which started in the Shetland Pony Grand National. Crowley is sure to bring a competitive-edge. Jamie Spencer, who in August of this year rode his 2,000th winner, one of only twenty-two jockeys to have reached this landmark, will be hoping to lead his team down the home straight as the final member of Dettori’s team.

Clare Balding, MBE, who will be joining the fun as commentator in the ring, said: ‘The Markel Champions Challenge at Olympia Horse Show is going to be particularly exciting this year, with so many highly-acclaimed jockeys competing under one roof. It’ll be a very special occasion, and I am thrilled to be involved. We know they can all jump at speed but let’s see which one can do that without sending poles flying.’

The Markel Champions Challenge, in aid of the Injured Jockeys Fund, will take place on Friday 15 December as part of ‘Race Night’ at Olympia, an evening of race-themed entertainment, including the Osborne Refrigerators Shetland Pony Grand National, in aid of the Bob Champion Cancer Trust.

For more information, please contact:
Olympia, The London International Horse Show:
Gayle Telford, gayle@revolutionsports.co.uk 0203 176 0355