Holly Smith and the exciting eight year old Nike van het Singraven continued their sensational
run of form on the opening day of Week Two of the Al Shira’aa Bolesworth International,
producing the only double clear performance to win Thursday’s CSI4* 1.50m Longines Ranking
Grand Prix Qualifier, sponsored by CG Professional.

Defeating an all star field that included current world number nine Laura Kraut, multi-Olympian
John Whitaker, Irish star Billy Twomey, reigning Al Shira’aa Bolesworth CSI4* Grand Prix
champion Laura Renwick and a host of Olympic riders, European medallists and Nations Cup
winners, Smith produced two flawless rounds to secure back to back international Longines
Ranking victories at Bolesworth.

The 48 strong field, representing six nations, were all chasing valuable Longines Ranking points
and a share of the impressive prize fund in Rafael Suarez and team’s 16 effort track that sent
four combinations through to the jump off.

USA’s Sterling Malnik, who qualified for last week’s CSI3* Al Shira’aa Grand Prix jump-off, was
first into the International Arena aboard Calgary Tame but incurred 12 faults.

The first British combination, local rider Hannah Sims, based just eight miles from Bolesworth,
partnered the stallion Kingfisher, fresh from contesting this year’s Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby.
The pair added four jumping faults and a single time penalty.

Guy Williams looked on course for a clear after producing a smooth, flowing round before a late
rail denied him, while reigning CSI4* Al Shira’aa Bolesworth Grand Prix champion Laura
Renwick and Marseille saw two fences fall despite producing one of the quicker rounds of the
day.

It was Smith who finally cracked the course, delivering the first clear aboard the hugely talented
Nike van het Singraven before Ireland’s Billy Twomey and Ace of Hearts Z quickly joined her with
another faultless performance.

Multi Olympian John Whitaker and Equine America Unick de Francport looked set to make it
three clears, only to agonisingly pick up a single time fault, while Laura Kraut ensured three
nations would contest the jump off after guiding Carquilara PS home inside the time allowed.
Just four combinations progressed to the deciding round, with Smith joined by Billy Twomey,
Sally Goding and Laura Kraut.

First to return, Smith knew she had to lay down a target and did exactly that, producing another
immaculate clear in 39.70 seconds.

Twomey chased hard but a single rail left him to settle for second, while Kraut’s fast four fault
effort secured third. Goding also picked up faults, leaving Smith and Nike van het Singraven as
the only combination to produce two clear rounds.

The victory capped a remarkable fortnight for Smith and the eight year old, who became the
only rider to win both of the Al Shira’aa Bolesworth International’s Longines Ranking classes,
underlining the emergence of one of Britain’s most exciting young horses.

Speaking after her win, Smith said:
“I couldn’t be more pleased with the horse – he obviously likes it here.”
“Not only is it special to win another ranking class after last week, but one of his joint owners,
Liz Astall, was here to watch him for the first time, so it was really lovely to do that in front of
her.”

Smith admitted she wasn’t confident that they would pull off a top placing today:
“The class was tough today with only four clears, and I was drawn first to go, so I didn’t really
fancy myself with the people I had coming behind me. I just did my usual round and hoped it
would be good enough.”

Explaining where she felt she made the difference, she added:
“I actually went a stride extra than I wanted from fence three to four, then I thought I really
needed to take a chance to the double, which I did. It’s naturally quite a quick course and I
thought that just put enough pressure on that it forced people into mistakes.”

Smith has produced Nike van het Singraven since he was a five-year-old and believes the
partnership they have developed is now paying dividends at the highest level.

“I’ve spent all of my time with that horse – nursing him, producing him – so I think that’s why he’s
coming to this level as quickly as he has. He also has an exceptional temperament. He’s super
friendly and definitely thinks he’s quite entitled!”

Earlier in the day, Great Britain’s Jessica Hewlett claimed victory in the CSIU25-A 1.35m Against
the Clock Qualifier, sponsored by D&H.

Fifty combinations from six nations tackled John Doyle’s flowing 11 fence course in the Castle
Arena, with D&H’s commitment to supporting equine performance through expert nutrition
providing fitting backing for the class.

Ireland’s Seamus Hughes Kennedy laid down the first clear in 57.96 seconds before Chloe
Hughes Kennedy ensured the opening two clears both belonged to Ireland.

Britain’s Cate Kerr moved to the top of the leaderboard aboard Ballypatrick Zambra with a time
of 56.77 seconds and held the lead until halfway through the class, when Maddie Heath edged
ahead before Glain Watkin-Jones and Heroine Pasquier shaved more time from the clock.

Drawn late in the order, Hewlett and Mosandro Van Perbeemd produced a superb round to stop
the clock 0.64 seconds quicker than Watkin-Jones and claim an impressive qualifier victory.
Speaking afterwards, Hewlett said:”That was so much fun. He’s a quick horse and I was very lucky to have a good draw as well.
He’s naturally speedy, so all I really have to do is follow him and do as he says,” she laughed.

Explaining where she found the winning time, Hewlett added:
“Everything was a bit of a turn back after each line, so it was about keeping it tight but still
keeping it smooth. That’s where we managed to just nick that little bit of time.”
The partnership has only been competing internationally together for the past 12 months after
Hewlett bought the horse unseen, making the victory all the more special with a horse she
describes as incredibly special to her.

Full results from today’s classes can be found via the Equipe website.
Competition continues on Friday before Saturday’s feature CSI4* Al Shira’aa Bolesworth Grand
Prix.