Two Brits in top three in Rolex Grand Prix

Michael Whitaker and Scott Brash have taken second and third place in the €350,000 Rolex Grand Prix in s’Hertogenbosch, Netherlands (12 March).

Early lead

It was a tough competition with 16 of the 40 starters making it through to the jump-off, half of which went clear again.

Michael took an early lead with a time of 34.97sec riding his wife’s 13-year-old gelding Viking V. Even world number one Scott Brash and Hello Sanctos couldn’t catch them, stopping the clock in 35.15sec.

However, Daniel Deusser and Cornet d’Amour snatched victory from Michael in the last few minutes of the class, with a very fast time of 33.79sec.

Bad feeling

“I always had a bad feeling about Daniel being last to go,” said Michael. “His did an unbelievable turn into the third last fence and that is where he did it.It was a top round -I can’t complain”.

Scott agreed it was ‘top sport’, adding: “I didn’t actually think Michael could be beaten, but Daniel did an amazing round.”

The week before Michael and Scott were competing against one another at the CHI Al Shagab in Qatar. The pair hot-footed it back to Europe in time for s’Hertogenbosch.