The French riders are in top form in Paris, and today Simon Delestre secured another win for the hosts when he won the CSI5* Prix Renault Talisman 1.45/1.50 competition.

Riding the 11-year-old gelding Chesall Zimequest (Casall x Concerto II), Delestre came into the speed class as third-last-to-go and gave his all in front of an enthusiastic and supportive home crowd. A flying effort on the final line as well as on the last oxer kept the spectators at the edge of their seats, and when the world no. two crossed the finish line they erupted in applause as he had managed to shave off an incredible 0.46 seconds on Marlon Zanotelli's leading time on Madame Butterfly (Corrado I x Lavall II).

It was all about France and Brazil, as Zanotelli's compatriot Pedro Veniss finished third on AD Argos (Padinus x Concorde) and France's Harold Boisset fourth on T''Obetty du Domaine (Kashmir van Schuttershof x Diams du Grasset).

Text © World of Showjumping // Picture © Stefano Grasso/LGCT