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Harrie Smolders wins the Massimo Dutti Trophy in Shanghai

Sunday, 22 April 2018
CSI5* LGCT Shanghai 2018

Photo (c) LGCT / Stefano Grasso Harrie Smolders and Monaco won Sunday's feature class in Shanghai. Photo (c) LGCT / Stefano Grasso.

The final competition of the Shanghai Longines Global Champions Tour saw a familiar face on the winner’s step, as 2017 LGCT-champion Harrie Smolders (NED) rounded out the weekend with a win in the Massimo Dutti Trophy.

Lightning fast as ever, the flying Dutchman made a formidable return to the LGCT circuit, beating Britain’s Ben Maher (GBR) with Madame X (Continio x Corland) and Maurice Tebbel (GER) with Chaccos’ Son (Chacco-Blue x Falkenhof's Lancer) who took second and third respectively. Less than a second split the top three, with an edge-of-the-seat finish for the passionate and enthusiastic crowd.

A smiling Smolders said: “I’m very pleased with Monaco. Its the first time he’s [competed] at a GCT, so to win is fantastic. It’s the first time I really went fast with him. He’s a good prospect [for the future], I have a good feeling, and he felt ready to do it today."

The final day of competition welcomed back crowds of spectators, who filled all three grandstands to witness the world’s best compete under clear blue skies. Italian designer Uliano Vezzani put together another brilliant course, technical enough to test the best riders in the world; a big treble requiring scope and power in equal measure and related distances kept the fences coming fast. The final line, set against the bustling grandstand took concentration, caused the most trouble, and two gappy blue and white Longines planks picked off a few of the top contenders heading into the final class. 

In an 11 rider jump-off, Cameron Hanley (IRL) set the pace to beat, with a blistering round on Eis Isaura (Tinka's Boy x Darco), flying to the last in 41.93s as the crowd roared in appreciation. Alberto Zorzi (ITA) and Fairlight van t’Heike (Vigo d'Arsouilles x Darco) were not as quick over the ground, but the Italian pulled off some jaw-dropping turns to shave off time, slotting in just behind in 42.44s.

Speed merchant Ben Maher (GBR) shifted the gears up a level, hoping for another podium position to complete his hat-trick this weekend. The crowd gasped as he gave Madame X her head to the last, flying through the finish gates in 40.47s, and raising the temperature in an intense jump-off.

Harrie Smolders (NED) had a look of pure determination on his face as he looked over the course. The 2017 LGCT-champion put in a class turn to the roll back, taking out strides to the oxer and powered around the arena with Monaco (breeding unknown) to slip in front with a time of 40.33s.

Always a danger in the jump-off, Lorenzo De Luca (ITA) and Jeunesse van't Paradijs (Emerald van 'T Ruytershof x Heartbreaker) pulled out all the stops, but had to settle with a time of 41.40s, slipping behind Maher eventutally finishing fourth with Pius Schwizer (SUI) following in fifth aboard About A Dream (Clinton x Indoctro). 

The final challenger in the jump-off was Maurice Tebbel (GER) with Chaccos’ Son, who put in a lightning fast round. The crowd held their breath as they flew to the last, but they finished just shy of Smolders’ time, taking third in 40.92s.

 


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



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