Fast French and Flying Dutch Men
The national park of La Mandria, Turin was the spectacular backdrop as the GCT of Italy began with a 1.45 two phase competition with course designer Uliano Vezzani making sure his star studded field did not get life too easy. First into the ring and returning to the GCT after a short absence due to injury was Latinus ridden by Denis Lynch. The winners of the opening leg of the Tour in Doha 2008, they set an easily beatable standard of eight penalties in the second phase and beaten it was by the next man in, Rolf Goran Bengsston with Ninja La Silla, clear with a time of 35.23. That made it a little tougher for the others who had to chase the time in the second phase and chase they did. An absolutely furious battle ensured.
Just when the audience thought a time could not be bettered it was. When Rio organiser Alvaro de Miranda scored 28.76 he must have thought he was destined to win, being over a second better than the next rider at that time. But then the Italian Master of Faster, Gianni Govoni managed to shave a second off that time and he held the lead for several rounds despite fierce challenges from another GCT speed demon Harrie Smolders, countryman Emilio Biocchi and Eric Van der Vleuten, none of whom could quite catch him. But Roger Yves Bost, who was not happy with his riding performance in Valencia, made amends here. Taking a couple of strides out and jumping fences on very oblique angles meant the Frenchman stopped the clock in 26.78 but there were still 12 left to jump and those included Valencia speed winner Simon Delestre and the never sluggish Jessica Kurten. But Roger need not have worried, no one else was quite brave enough and the first prize remained his.
In the second class Uliano might have slightly underestimated the quality of the riders and horses. There were 17 clear rounds through to the jump off from 39 starters but several of the horses through were likely to be their rider’s first choice for Saturday's Grand Prix and so not really being ridden to be competitive particularly in this lesser class.
However Harrie Smolder, as seen earlier in the day, does not really do steady clears and therefore was the first to go double clear in a fast time. 37.46 was the time everyone else had to beat. Fourteen of his rivals tried and failed, no one within two seconds of his time, but the last two to go were the great Ludger Beerbaum on World Cup second Gotha and last week’s Valencia GP winners Timothee Anciaume and Lamm de Fetan.
That meant a few nailbiting moments for Harrie to endure but Timothee was clearly not going for the time and when Gotha stroked a pole and it fell to the floor, Harrie knew his day had finished even better than it had started and his connections were nearly 10'000 Euro better off! Exquis Walnut de Muze was his European Championship mount of 2009 and has been well placed in several GCT Grand Prix's including Valencia this year so perhaps it is the Flying Dutchman who might be the one to watch come Saturday. Phillippe Rozier was second on Randgraaf and another Frenchman, Kevin Staut, was third on Silvana. Luciana Diniz was fourth.
Results
Class 1-Premio FISE Piemonte
1. Roger Yves Bost (FRA) Jovis de Ravel, 0, 26.78 Euro 6600
2. Gianni Govoni (ITA) Little Tinka, 0, 27.45, Euro 4200
3. Eric van der Vleuten (NED) VDL Groep Kaid, 0, 27.7, Euro 3000
4. Harrie Smolders (NED) Exquis Powerfee, 0, 27.75, Euro 2200
Class 2- Premio Horse TV
1. Harrie Smolders (NED) Exquis Walnut de Muze, 0,0, 37.46, Euro 9900
2. Phillipe Rozier (FRA) Randgraaf, 0,0, 39.62, Euro 6400
3. Kevin Staut (FRA) Silvana, 0,0, 39. 69, Euro 4600
4. Luciana Diniz (POR) Lennon, 0,0, 41.37. Euro 3400
Quotes
Roger Yves Bost-”Could I have gone faster?” Noooo! Well, perhaps I did slow down a little for the last, so maybe!”
Harrie Smoulders- “Do I think I have peaked too soon? No, not at all, the others were just too slow! Anyway, Saturday is another day!”