WELLINGTON, Fla.--British Olympic champion Ben Maher on Enjeu de Grisien won the $116,100, CSI5* WEF Challenge Round 9 on Thursday, March 5 at the Winter Equestrian Festival.
Ben Maher on Enjeu de Grisien (Photo by Sportfot)From a starting field of 45, eight were clean over the course set by Alan Wade of Ireland.
Maher used his advantage of going last in the jump-off to finish clean in 36.39 to win.
Nayal Nasser of Egypt on ESI Ali was second, clean in 37.00, and Mimi Gochman on Iron Maiden,, first to go in the jump-off, was third in 37.89
“We’ve been knocking at the door,” said world ranked number three Maher of his first win at this year's WEF on Enjeu do Grisien
“It was great to go at the end of the jump-off with an experienced horse," said Maher. "I got to see a little bit of what the others were doing. Enjeu is not the fastest horse in the first round, but in the jump-off, you can use his stride and let him go quick.”
“He’s an amazing horse, but he has been in the shadows of some of my own horses,” Maher said of the horse that most recently was second in the FCSI5* Grand Prix during WEF 5. “As those horses have had a break, he’s had to hold court on his own, and he’s really shone in that number one spot and had some great results.”
“HE'S THE sweetest, calmest horse,” said Maher. “We’ve had him since he was 7 years old, so we know him well, and he’s been an amazing horse for the team. He’s so versatile in every kind of grand prix or speed class on any surface, and it’s hard to find a special horse like that.”
Maher said he will ride his Paris Olympic mount Dallas Vegas Batilly for the first time this season in the $500,000 CSI5* Grand Prix during Saturday Night Lights on March 7.
Ansgar Holtgers Jr. on Pixel-K van't Kattenheye, the only other clean in the jump-off, was fourth in 38.42, with Bertram Allen of Ireland on Pacino Amiro fifth with four faults in 27.25, Darragh Kenny of Ireland on Zero K sixrth with eight faults in 36.94, Rupert Carl Winkelman of Germany on Imodo seventh witn 12 faults in 40.40, and Callie Shott on Garant, who didn't go in the jump-off, eighth.
On Thursday morning, Sydney Shulman Desiderio of Israel on Max van de Marijenhoeve won the $32,000 CSI2* 1.45m.
Desiderio was clean in 30.91 seconds for the win with Isabelle Ehman on Darra Du Soleil placing second in a time of 33.72 seconds, and Luis Fernando Larrazabal of Venezuela on Feeling Chance was third in 33.83.
