Morocco Royal Tour '23: Vive La France! - International Horse Press

Two French victories in the two 4* classes on the third day of the El Jadida CSI. By winning the Prix FPB with his young Anglo-Arab Espri du Figuier, Olivier Robert showed the way to Nicolas Deseuzes who claimed the win at a neck-breaking speed. His mount, Eldorado Sunheup Z, is built to win, according to his rider. “I can make headway over obstacles, he keeps his balance naturally, and he’s very respectful,” he said.

Like yesterday, the first-round course of thirteen obstacles and sixteen efforts, created by Swiss course designer Gérard Lachat, was very tricky and highly technical, causing many faults throughout the course without ever putting the horses at risk. As a result, only two clear rounds were completed, and three others with time faults, so that all the couples with four faults were invited to the second round, which was reduced to seven obstacles, including a double, the famous winnnig tour, where the counters are all reset to zero.

From the outset, Ireland’s Jessica Burke put the pressure on the group of twelve with a fiery ride on Nikey HH. To beat her, there was no room for compromise: You had to give it your all. This was achieved by the Belgians Charlotte Philippe and Cyril Cools and above all the Frenchman Nicolas Deseuze with Eldorado Sunheup Z cut out for this kind of exercise: “Yes, he’s very fast indeed, I can gallop through the poles, and he keeps the balance on his own. He wins a lot of classes like that. He was born at Carine Groualle’s home in La Manche (Normandy). He’s always been a very spectacular horse, but this is the first year I’ve been able to jump big courses at 1.50 m – 1.55 m because up until then, he jumped too high. Since this past summer, he thinks more and reasons his way through the jumps while remaining very careful”.

When asked if this horse is a candidate for tomorrow’s Grand Prix, the Frenchman responded: “Truth be told, I haven’t yet decided who I’m going to ride in this Grand Prix but I’m going to have to decide quickly between him and Drugster des Forets because I have to enter my horses for tomorrow soon.” [Once the deadline was over, the answer was Drugster des Forets}

This is Deseuzes’ very first victory in the Morocco Royal Tour where he has been showing since 2014: “Unfortunately, I can’t be here every year because it depends on the [French Equestrian Sports] Federation’s selections. But this is a circuit I enjoy coming to and returning to: The atmosphere is different, it’s a change, and almost a little adventure!

Olivier Robert & Espri du Figuier – Photo courtesy Morocco Royal Tour ©Thomas Reiner

The CSI4* day began with a French victory in the Grand Prix FBP, a Faults and Time class with Olivier Robert and his 9-year-old grey Anglo-Arab stallion Espri du Figuier, shown in his first indoor show. The prize-giving ceremony was attended by four greys out of the five horses invited to the honours. The only non-grey in the top 5 was Liechtenstein’s Jennifer Hochstadter’s bay, Tinka’s Hero, who held the lead in the class for a long time. Her mount is one of Simon Delestre’s former horses with whom the Lorrain native won last year’s Winning Round in Tetouan.

Tomorrow sees the final day of the Morocco Royal Tour 2023 with the World Cup Grand Prix of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the apotheosis of a circuit that has lived up to all its promises. The question is “who will succeed Abdelkebir Ouaddar and who, it is hoped, will win the hearts and minds of the fans in this magnificent blue hall in El Jadida!”

TOP FIVE
GRAND PRIX FBP
CSI4*-W – 1.45 m – Faults & Time – 238.2.1
29 Participants et 12 Classés
1) Olivier Robert, FRA – Espri du Figuier AA 0/60.81, 2) Cyril Cools, BEL – Seahorse Z 0/61.63, 3) Jennifer Hochstadter, LIE – Tinka’s Hero Z 0/62.53, 4) Roberto Previtali, ITA – Come On Semilly 0/63.05, 5) Barbara Schnieper, SUI – Clintfino 0/65.01

GRAND PRIX CDG
CSI4*-W – 1.50 m (LR) – Winning Round-
23 participants, 12 classified

1) Nicolas Deseuzes, FRA – Eldorado Sunheup Z 1-0/35.94, 2) Charlotte Philippe, BEL – Cacharel de Amoranda Z 4-0/36.40, 3) Cyril Cools, BEL – Milton Z 0-0/36.61, 4) Jessica Burke, IRL – Nikey HH 4-0/37.55, 5) Bart Clarys, BEL – Oscar Van Spieveld 4-0/37.94

Full results HERE

Pascal Renauldon  p.renauldon@rbpresse.com 