Night train and Rodrigo claim the FEI World Cup Grand Prix

Victory was sweet tonight for Double H Farm’s Hunter Harrison as his horse Night Train sped to the win with Olympic gold medalist Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) in the $200,000 FEI World Cup Grand Prix, CSI 3*, presented by CN.

McLain Ward (USA) on Sapphire, owned by Ward and Blue Chip Bloodstock, was second, while Lauren Hough (USA) and Laura Mateo’s Quick Study were third.

The ninth week of the FTI WEF is sponsored by CN and runs through Sunday, March 14. The 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of competition that conclude on April 4, 2010, and they will be awarding almost $6 million in prize money through the circuit.

Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela designed a 14 numbered obstacle track for the opening round, and seven of 45 entries were clear to continue to the jump-off.

Ward remarked, “Leopoldo always gets the right number clear. I think he tried to build a little of an indoor format with related distances and tight in between the fences. Leopoldo always sets a challenge. That’s the exciting part of the sport though. I think he did another great job, and that’s why he’s one of the best there has ever been.”

The first to return was Ljubov Kochtova (RUS) on Aslan. With a rail at the second to last fence in the jump-off, she finished in fifth place in 41.14 seconds.

Hough was next in and went for the clear round but was speedy as well in 40.57 seconds to take the lead.

Hough said, “Quick Study felt super tonight. Last week in the CSIO grand prix I left him a little bit fresh, and I was more prepared this week. We couldn’t have had faster horses or faster riders in that jump-off. Going second, I knew I needed to set a good standard, but perhaps I didn’t take all of the risks. I slowed him down a little to the plank and also a little bit to the last jump. I’m really, really pleased with him. It was quite a class and quite a competition. The top four were very close in their times.”

Hough also gained valuable World Cup points towards the 2010 Rolex FEI World Cup Finals, which are held in Geneva, Switzerland, this April. “I was quite eager to get World Cup points because I was sitting seventh and I hopefully got the points to get to Geneva, because that is definitely on my radar screen with him,” she confirmed.

Following her, Ashlee Bond (USA) and Apache, owned by Little Valley Farm, had rails at both of the verticals in the double combination for eight faults in 42.67 seconds for seventh place. Rich Fellers (USA) and Flexible, owned by Harry and Molly Chapman, were double clear, but not quick enough to catch the lead. They stopped the timers in 41.25 seconds for fourth place.

Pessoa and Night Train were next in and they put down a clear trip in high speed to go to the lead in 40.18 seconds.

“With the horses after me, I just had to give everything and hope for the best. It was a good jump-off for me with a bit of a gallop and the combination of verticals, which is always good for him,” Pessoa said of his jump-off ride. “When I turned from number two, I had my eye on the plank and thought it would take a while for me to get there, but I was immediately there because he went so fast down the big stretch. Where I lost a little bit was the turn back to the double of verticals. Coming out of the ring, I knew I could have easily been third because Presley Boy and Sapphire were after me. I was realistic about my jump-off. I was happy already and the luck was a little bit on my side.”

Pessoa said of his relationship with the 15.3 hand high Night Train, “It took time, and I think each round we’ve been finding out more about each other. I’m getting to know how he goes. He doesn’t go in a very classical way, and I had to get used to that. Most of all was to trust him over the big jumps. When you see those big jumps out there with his size, you get a little bit nervous. You’re not sure how you’re going to come to the other side. But he’s all heart; his heart is so big. He really tries hard and is just an unbelievable little horse. We just needed this time to adapt together. The last three or four rounds we’ve been consistently improving. It’s nice to wrap up the circuit for him with a win like this. I’m really pleased with the work that the whole team has put into this horse. It’s my first win with him.”