Holly Smith continued her outstanding run of form at the Al Shira’aa Bolesworth International after producing the only double clear performance to win Thursday’s CSI4* 1.50m Longines Ranking Grand Prix Qualifier.

Partnering the eight-year-old Nike van het Singraven, Smith topped a high-quality field of 48 combinations from six nations to secure her second Longines Ranking class victory of the meeting, strengthening the young horse’s growing reputation on the international stage.

The CG Professional-sponsored qualifier attracted an elite line-up featuring world number nine Laura Kraut, reigning CSI4* Al Shira’aa Bolesworth Grand Prix champion Laura Renwick, Billy Twomey, John Whitaker and a host of Olympic riders, European medallists and Nations Cup winners, all chasing valuable Longines Ranking points ahead of Saturday’s feature Grand Prix.

Only four combinations reach the jump-off

Designed by Rafael Suarez and his team, the demanding 16-effort course proved influential throughout the afternoon, with only four horse-and-rider combinations progressing to the jump-off.

Local rider Hannah Sims and Kingfisher incurred four jumping faults and one time penalty, while Guy Williams looked set for a clear until a late fence fell. Laura Renwick and Marseille also finished on eight faults after two rails came down.

Smith was the first rider to solve the track, producing the opening clear aboard Nike van het Singraven. Ireland’s Billy Twomey followed with Ace of Hearts Z before Laura Kraut partnered Carquilara PS into the jump-off. John Whitaker and Equine America Unick de Francport narrowly missed out after collecting a single time fault.

Returning first against the clock, Smith set the standard with another faultless round in 39.70 seconds.

Twomey challenged strongly but a single rail left him second, while Kraut’s four-fault round secured third place. Sally Goding also incurred faults, leaving Smith as the only rider to complete two clear rounds.

Smith: “He obviously likes it here”

Reflecting on another ranking class success, Smith praised both her horse and the support team behind him.

“I couldn’t be more pleased with the horse – he obviously likes it here.”

She added:

“Not only is it special to win another ranking class after last week, but one of his joint owners, Liz Astall, was here to watch him for the first time, so it was really lovely to do that in front of her.”

Despite setting the target in the jump-off, Smith admitted she was far from confident the time would stand.

“The class was tough today with only four clears, and I was drawn first to go, so I didn’t really fancy myself with the people I had coming behind me. I just did my usual round and hoped it would be good enough.”

Explaining where she believed the winning time came from, she said:

“I actually went a stride extra than I wanted from fence three to four, then I thought I really needed to take a chance to the double, which I did. It’s naturally quite a quick course and I thought that just put enough pressure on that it forced people into mistakes.”

Having produced Nike van het Singraven since the horse was five years old, Smith believes the partnership they have developed has been central to his rapid rise through the levels.

“I’ve spent all of my time with that horse – nursing him, producing him – so I think that’s why he’s coming to this level as quickly as he has. He also has an exceptional temperament. He’s super friendly and definitely thinks he’s quite entitled!”

The victory makes Smith the only rider to win both Longines Ranking classes staged during this year’s Al Shira’aa Bolesworth International.

Jessica Hewlett claims Under-25 qualifier

Earlier in the day, Great Britain’s Jessica Hewlett took top honours in the CSIU25-A 1.35m Against the Clock Qualifier, sponsored by D&H.

Riding Mosandro Van Perbeemd, Hewlett produced the fastest of 50 starters from six nations, stopping the clock 0.64 seconds ahead of Glain Watkin-Jones after negotiating John Doyle’s flowing Castle Arena course.

Speaking after her victory, Hewlett said:

“That was so much fun. He’s a quick horse and I was very lucky to have a good draw as well. He’s naturally speedy, so all I really have to do is follow him and do as he says.”

She added:

“Everything was a bit of a turn back after each line, so it was about keeping it tight but still keeping it smooth. That’s where we managed to just nick that little bit of time.”

The pair have only been competing internationally together for the past year after Hewlett bought the horse unseen.

With Friday’s competition still to come, attention will now begin turning towards Saturday’s feature CSI4* Al Shira’aa Bolesworth Grand Prix, where many of Thursday’s leading combinations will once again battle for one of the meeting’s biggest titles.

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Key Results

CSI4 1.50m Longines Ranking Grand Prix Qualifier (Sponsored by CG Professional)*

1. Holly Smith (GBR) – Nike van het Singraven (0/0)
2. Billy Twomey (IRL) – Ace of Hearts Z (0/4)
3. Laura Kraut (USA) – Carquilara PS (0/4)

CSIU25-A 1.35m Against the Clock Qualifier (Sponsored by D&H)

1. Jessica Hewlett (GBR) – Mosandro Van Perbeemd
2. Glain Watkin-Jones – Heroine Pasquier
3. Maddie Heath