Edited press release from Hubside Jumping

World n°5 Marlon Modolo Zanotelli brilliantly honoured Brazil at Hubside Jumping Grimaud when he on Saturday won two consecutive classes with each of his two greys. First, he took the top honours with Chili in the CSI2* 1.45m and continued his winning streak by claiming the win in the major class of the day – the CSI5* 1.50m, riding Cartaro 2. Great Britain’s Guy Williams, also in great form, won the CSI5* 1.45m class with Rouge de Ravel.

In the CSI5* 1.50m, Modolo Zanotelli – individual and team champion at the 2019 Pan-American Games in Lima – gave the other competitors no chance with Cartaro 2 (Carinue x Chacco Blue). Of the 29 starters, 11 found the key to successfully clearing the 13 obstacles and 16 jumping efforts offered by course designer Cédric Longis, qualifying for the jump-off. Modolo Zanotelli set off at a good tempo, and settled matters by crossing the finishing line 36.77 seconds – pushing France’s Simon Delestre out of the top slot.

“The show here is incredible,” said the winner. “The organising team and Sadri Fegaier have been doing a superb job for several years, especially during the pandemic when they were a great help to us because we were able to compete at Grimaud. Cartaro is a fantastic horse, I’m very lucky to have him. This is our 4th or 5th show together and each time he’s been placed. He was 2nd in our last Grand Prix at Opglabeek, 2nd in Valkenswaard and he won a class in Knokke, he’s really consistent. I'm even happier because it's our first 5*. The first round was tricky, but the jump-off was even more so, with a double of uprights, which always causes faults, however, he’s so respectful and fast that’s it wasn’t a problem for us. I didn't look too much at what the other competitors did before me but Jean Maurice Bonneau (Brazil's chef d’équipe) told me, before entering the ring, that in the last line it was possible to do 8 strides instead of 9. That's what I did, and we won! Tomorrow for the Grand Prix I’ll be riding Diarca, a mare who’s just 10 years old, for whom it’ll be a first at this level and who, like Cartaro, belongs to Marie-Cindy Van Der Straeten.”

Guy Williams and Cicero II (Cicero Z Van Paemel x Guidam), last to go in the jump-off, gave everything in order to try and catch Zanotelli, but finished second in 37.77. Third place went to France’s Simon Delestre with I Amelusina R 51 (Dexter R x Chin Chin) in a time of 38.81 seconds.

A few hours earlier Modolo Zanotelli also brilliantly took the win in the CSI2* 1.45m with the 9-year-old grey mare Chili (Consolidator x Berlin) – against 54 other starters. Last to enter the ring in the nine-horse jump-off, Modolo Zanotelli knocked three seconds off the time to beat. “The course was quite technical, but still fun to ride, especially for my mare who’s still young, she learnt a lot today!” explained Zanotelli “The course designer did a really good course, there were only eight of us in the jump-off, I was lucky enough to go at the end and so was able to watch everyone. There weren't many clear rounds, only Laura (Kraut), so I really had everything to play for, and then, even if a bar fell, it would have just been more experience for her. Chili is very talented and I really think that in the future she’ll perform just as well at 5* level.”

After Holly Smith's double yesterday, it was her compatriot Guy Williams who won the CSI5* 1.45m with Rouge de Ravel (Ultimo Van Ter Moude x Quouglof Rouge) in a time of 34.97 seconds in phase two of the class. France’s Marie Pellegrin and Alcazar du Moulin (Mylord Carthago*HN x Allegreto) were second in 36.45, while Olivier Perreau rounded off the top three in 36.59 with Gl Events Dolce Deceuninck (Toulon x Cartier van de Heffinck).