Text © World of Showjumping

Saturday's CSI5* 1.50m Prix GL Events at the 2023-edition of Saut Hermès in Paris went to world number one Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) and the 10-year-old mare Iliana (Cardento x Gentleman). With a time of 58.84, von Eckermann bested a field of 43 horse-and-rider-combinations, 19 of which managed to clear the track set by the masterful duo Santiago Varela (ESP) and Gregory Bodo (FRA).

"I have to say this was my best round with Iliana so far, she was so quiet and relaxed – really easy the whole way, I never had to push," von Eckermann told World of Showjumping after his victory. "Iliana is a naturally fast horse, and I just kept it nice and tight. She is a fantastic mare and I am happy to win when her owner Georg Kähny is here as well. I am really looking forward to the future with Iliana, I really believe in her and I always did." 

"As a winner it is always easy to like the course, but this course was nice in a way that you could win it without chasing around," von Eckermann said about the track. "I did not have once a feeling I was really going, I could just keep the turns really tight and this is what I like – when we don't have to chase our horses around to win."

Gregory Cottard (FRA) and Cocaine du Val (Mylord Carthago x Si Tu Viens) took the runner-up position in 59.11, while Kevin Staut (FRA) and Visconti du Telman (Toulon x Dollar du Murier) placed third in 59.25, Harry Charles (GBR) and Billabong du Roumois (Mylord Carthago x Papillon Rouge) fourth in 59.40 and Rik Hemerck (BEL) fifth in 60.73 aboard Navarro van het Eelshof (Jappelloup Vh Dauwhof x Poleander).