Things didn’t go according to plan for Jordan Coyle (IRL) and Eristov in the $89,500 CSI5* Palm Beach Masters Qualifier, and it was all the better for them.

“It wasn’t really part of the plan; this season [we had] a few hiccups. This wouldn’t normally be [Eristov’s] class. The [$300,000 CSI5* CP Palm Beach Masters Final on Sunday] would be his class, but with everything that’s [been] happening, I thought I should go out today and try to win,” Coyle said.

Win they did over a competitive, 56-horse field, which saw 22 riders jump clear by the end of the afternoon. Maximizing Eristov’s impressive stride, Coyle pulled out all the stops, dashing through the timers on 67.27 seconds, just ahead of Ben Maher (GBR) and Explosion W on 68.63 seconds, and Coyle’s countryman, Billy Twomey and Lady Lou, on 69.62.

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