‘It was about where to take the risk’: defending champion’s plan B pays off on eventful Pau cross-country day as he grabs overnight lead

Defending champions Tim Price and Jarillo produced a copybook round over an influential Pau cross-country track to take pole position. On the brink of this impressive horse’s second five-star win, Tim said “he’s not an authentic event horse as he’s still learning to gallop, but he’s getting better and better”.

Bubby Upton has moved up from eighth to second – just two penalties adrift – on Its Cooley Time with the second-fastest time. Jonelle Price now lies third on one of her three rides, Senor Crocodillo, from 11th after dressage.

Jarillo – owned by Lucy Allison, Frances Stead and James and Rachel Good – was second last out of the startbox to ensure a nailbiting crescendo to an already exciting day of sport. He was loudly cheered by the large crowd in the main arena for the final three fences, and he stopped the clock for just 5.2 time-faults.

“He’s a class horse, a joy to ride, he makes my job very easy,” said Tim after making a track that yielded just a 36% clear rate seem straightforward. “He was super. He’s a really honest horse, who loves his job.”

Tim’s round may have looked picture-perfect, but it was thanks to some shrewd decision-making. A couple of horses slipped on the slope down from the big drop at fence 24a – notably Felix Vogg’s Maryland winner Cartania, who looked destined for a podium spot; and Mélody Johner’s grey Erin. The B element was a huge skinny approached on a bending line.

“We were worried about the ground, so we made a plan off the bank to jump direct to the skinny at the bottom, which is taking a risk to jump across the skinny but you’re not putting the bend in where the hindlegs can go,” Tim explained.

“It’s about where you place the risk. I took the risk out of putting in a kink on a bending line and trusted his ability to jump the wooden part of the skinny which didn’t look quite conventional.”

“But he didn’t slip, he’s a very balanced horse generally – it was a lovely round.”

Not only did Pierre Michelet’s track cause a host of problems, peppered all round the course, the optimum time proved unattainable.

Jarillo’s 5.2 time-faults were the fourth-fastest of the day – with Tim quickest of all with only 3.2pen on his second ride Happy Boy, who was fourth last year and now lies fourth overnight.

“I’m incredibly happy with Jarillo – he’s had good results but he is still learning about the stamina requirement for proper five-star cross-country,” Tim said. “He’s not a thoroughbred, so he has to learn about galloping and today he was a lot better than last year.”

Tim Price’s double delight on Pau cross-country

Happy Boy had earlier taken the lead himself – which he held from midway right until Its Cooley Time overtook him – despite a long route at the tricky combination at fence 28. This involved a house on mound with a sharp slope down curving right to a left-handed brush corner, followed by angled brush.

“He’s a lovely traveller and it was great fun piloting around,” said Tim. “I took a long route at the end because he has a nemesis about running out to the left and this was the biggest left-handed corner we’ve seen all year.

“Perhaps the time will be costly. I was eight seconds over the time and that long route probably took eight seconds, but clear is more important and knowing your horse and riding with intelligence is what gives you consistency.”

Leading riders out of the running on Pau cross-country

The dressage leaders Emily King and Valmy Biats had a surprising run-out after the big drop at fence 24b when going well – where Tim changed his original line – and she elected to retire.

Sébastien Cavaillon, third after dressage, compounded a miserable day for the home nation. Having soldiered on after two run-outs in the first and third waters, he had a nasty fall when Elipso De La Vigne twisted over the second swan in the main arena, the penultimate fence, giving him no chance of staying in the saddle.

Both horse and rider walked out of the arena to huge cheers from the French crowd, but it was not the result they were after.

Yasmin Ingham was another well-placed dressage rider who faltered late on the course. Lying joint-fifth after dressage on Gypsie Du Loir, the pair seemed set to log a fast clear when the mare slid down the hill after the house at fence 28. She valiantly tried to jump it but unfortunately both fell. Both were up on their feet afterwards.

Fellow joint-fifth Tiana Coudray was another not to make it to the finish. Riding Cancaras Girl, the American only got as far as fence eight, the second of two angled brushes on a long two strides, where she retired.

Price domination on Pau cross-country

The Prices brought a total of six horses to Pau, and Jonelle also made impressive headway up the leaderboard with all three of her rides.

The Giannamores’ grey, Senor Crocodillo, made amends for what Jonelle felt was an unlucky run-out at the Aachen World Championships, after being held late on course. Here, he was straight as a die throughout, clocking 4.8 time-faults to climb on to the podium in third from 11th.

Jonelle said: “I truly believe his mistake in Aachen was as a result of the hold, so it was nice to be able to come here today. He was certainly very on the job and good on all his lines. I’m happy he could show himself off in a great light.”

The pathfinder, Jonelle’s 2022 Pau winner Grappa Nera – owned by the Grape Syndicate – sprang up the ranks from 40th to seventh with 6.4 time-faults.

“She’s very experienced at this level; she’s nimble and athletic so you know you have options,” Jonelle explained. “That’s a nice feeling to have on a course like Pau, which is quite unpredictable, and she really set me up for the day.”

Jonelle’s third ride, the Thomsons’ Capitaine De Hus Z, rose from 23rd to 11th.

Rounding out the top six are two Brits, both riding five-star debutants. Tom McEwen steered nine-year-old Quintus into fourth, while SBH Big Wall was best of Izzy Taylor’s three rides in sixth.

Last year, one showjumping rail covered the top 10; this year, just the top three.

Pau cross-country results: Tim Price leads

1. Tim Price/Jarillo (NZL) 30.9
2. Bubby Upton/Its Cooley Time (GBR) 32.9
3. Jonelle Price/Senor Crocodillo (NZL) 34.6
4. Tim Price/Happy Boy 35.9
5. Tom McEwen/Quintus (GBR) 36.6
6. Izzy Taylor/SBH Big Wall (GBR) 39.1

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