Today’s opening class win in Chantilly went to Columbia’s Daniel Bluman with the 10-year-old Believe (Ukato x Burggraaf). The pair produced a stunningly quick and careful round stopping the clock on 67.76 seconds. 

Ireland’s young speed demon Bertram Allen set the pace for the field early on in the class with the phenomenally fast chestnut gelding Quiet Easy (Quidam''s Rubin x Zapateado). Bertram was the first to break the 70second time barrier, raising the bar for the rest of the field after he crossed the line clear in 69.04s. In the end it was good enough for second. 

The course was a fair test for the riders with enough questions asked to challenge the best combinations in the world. The penultimate double caught a few of the top riders out - come in too fast and the first rail would fall, come in too steady and the back rail would go. 

Local rider Jérôme Hurel was the highest place home finisher with Urano (Baloubet du Rouet x Kannan), taking third place overall after an impressive round to cross the line in 69.43s. 

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