The first day of action at the spectacular Longines Global Champions Tour of Chantilly got underway today, and it was the Belgian rider Jerome Guery with the 11-year-old grey stallion Alicante (Casall x Indoctro) who took the feature class win this afternoon after an impressive speed competition that saw the pair take the top spot over a second clear of the rest of the field in 69.83s.

Brazil's Marlon Módolo Zanotelli and Extra van Essene (Diamant de Semilly x Gotthardsen) took a strong second place, jumping clear in 70.91s and Swiss rider Romain Duguet took third in 72.42s with Otello du Soleil (Alligator Fontaine x Papillon Rouge). Daniel Bluman who won the opening class of the day, continued his fine form to come in 4th with Conconcreto Apardi (Corland x Kannan), just two tenths of a second behind Romain.

The 1.50m €25,000 prize purse course set by Luc Musette was a great test for the top riders and horses in the world, with light poles and full height verticals ensuring delicate and careful jumping but the wide expansive grass arena and large striding distances meaning a fast pace gallop was necessary to meet the time allowed. Just eight of the 45 starters jumped clear, with Alberto Zorzi (ITA), 18-year-old Lisa Nooren (NED) and Faleh Suwead Al Ajami (QAT) among those finishing in the top ten. 

Source: Press release from LGCT // Picture © Stefano Grasso/LGCT