It was a perfect day in Paris for the home riders as Julien Epaillard took a convincing win with Cristallo A LM (Casall x Corofino I) in the CSI5* 1.50m Prix Oddo. The French rider thrilled the crowds in the high octane speed class, crossing the finish line clear in 57.51 seconds a full three seconds ahead of his nearest rival.

It was a sensational French one-two, as home hero Roger-Yves Bost took a worthy second place on his stunning grey Pegase du Murier (Adelfos x Le Tot de Semilly) responding as the crowds cheered them on. But the pair had to settle for second, with the larger horse unable to match the tight turns that Julien’s Cristallo was able to make early on in the competition. 

“Well I don’t know. I rode at the beginning of the class, and I just went for it…," said Julien after. "True, I took a lot of risks, particularly at the start, I tried to gallop a little bit cooler at the end, but yes, I was kind of 'make-it-or-break-it'!”

Third place went to Spain's Pilar Lucrecia Cordon, while Brazil's Marlon Zanotelli finished fourth and Dutch rider Leopold van Asten fifth.

Earlier in the day, home rider Harold Boisset took an opening win with his 9-year-old chestnut mare T'Obetty du Domaine (Kashmir van Schuttershof x Diams du Grasset) during the first CSI5* class of the weekend to the delight of the local crowd.

Source: Press release from LGCT and RB Presse // Picture © Jessica Rodrigues