Five-Star Ready

Five-Star Ready

It’s been a huge team effort over many months to prepare the five horses for their respective spring five-star targets at Kentucky and Badminton. The team at home has worked tirelessly to get to this point. As the competitions draw closer the tension naturally builds — you never quite feel you’ve got there until each horse leaves the start box. Still, it’s a fantastic milestone to have two horses safely on US soil, with another three here in great form ahead of Badminton in just a couple of weeks.

All five horses have had relatively seamless build-ups, with strong preparation runs and consistent double clears across the board. Grafennacht and Annaghmore Valoner have been standout performers so far, sitting first and second after dressage at their only international outing this season. Superstition has followed his usual path to a five-star by being produced at home without any prep competitions. Although this is a bit unorthodox it has worked well for him over the past few years and he feels very happy in his work and fit and confident. The two Kentucky horses have each been there once before — Superstition was fifth in 2021 and Grafennaght was fourth last year so both know the form to some extent.

Et Hop du Matz was third at Kentucky last year but heads to Badminton for the first time. Annaghmore Valoner also makes her Badminton debut, although she is no novice having twice finished fourth at Burghley in the past two years, one place behind her stable mate and look-alike, Cavalier Crystal, each time. Cavalier Crystal makes up the trio, she has had four starts at five star, finishing third at Burghley for the past three years, and fourth at Badminton last year. All five could go well so it's hard to pick between them. My main aim is to do them justice and bring them all home safe and sound.