Bettina Hoy added another major victory to her illustrious career when she captured the four star competition at Les Etoiles de Pau, having led throughout. Moreover, the win has propelled her right up the HSBC FEI Classicsâ„¢ Standings to fifth place, and she will now take home US$25,000 in addition to her EUR 32,000 first prize.
Bettina said, “I am thrilled to have won Les Etoiles de Pau especially as Ringwood Cookatoo had an injury earlier this year. I am also especially pleased to have finished in fifth place in the HSBC FEI Classicâ„¢ Series in its inaugural year – a marvellous bonus for us here.â€
It was a second four-star victory for her 17-year-old grey gelding Ringwood Cockatoo, a ride she took over from her husband, Andrew, and has since piloted to victory at Luhmuehlen in 2005, a World team gold medal in 2006 and individual European bronze last year.
Bettina was handed some useful leeway by her husband Andrew, who dropped from second place to sixth with four fences down on Moonfleet, but she lived dangerously, incurring four faults for a fence down and four time penalties to take her within 0.5 penalties of the eventual runner-up, Nicholas Touzaint on Tatchou.
Importantly for Touzaint (FRA), last year’s winner, this has improved his standing in the HSBC FEI Classics™ Series. He has now moved up to second place behind long-time leader William Fox-Pitt (GBR), who only finished 13th on Idalgo at Pau but has the enormous compensation of a US$150,000 first prize cheque.
Frank Ostholt (GER) also improved his position in the HSBC FEI Classics™ Series by finishing third on Mr Medicott and seventh on Little Paint, who jumped one of only two clear rounds over Pau’s notoriously technical final jumping phase. He now moves up to third in the Series, overtaking long-time runner Phillip Dutton (AUS) who is now fourth.
The other clear came from Mary King (GBR) on Call Again Cavalier, who moved up from 12th to eighth.
Several riders incurred time faults, including Andrew Nicholson (NZL) who added two to Henry Tankerville’s two rails down but, due to Andrew Hoy’s misfortune, this was still good enough to propel Nicholson up a place to fourth. His second ride, Muschamp Impala, failed to pass the vet at the final horse inspection early this morning.
World Champion, Zara Phillips, fell at fence 15 and broke her collarbone. Her 10 year-old mare Tsunami II was euthanized when it was discovered that she had broken a vertebrae in her neck.
HSBC FEI Classics TM Standings – Top Five:
1. William Fox-Pitt (GBR) – $150,000 US
2. Nicolas Touzaint (FRA) – $75,000
3. Frank Ostholt (GER) – $50,000
4. Phillip Dutton (USA) – $33,000
5. Bettina Hoy (GER) – $25,000
Final Results at Les Etoiles de Pau – Top Ten:
1. Bettina Hoy (Ringwood Cockatoo, GER) 33.7 + 7.2 + 4/4 = 48.9
2. Nicolas Touzaint (Tatchou, FRA) 45.4 + 0 + 4 = 49.4
3. Frank Ostholt (Mr Medicott, GER) 48 + 0 + 4 = 52
4. Andrew Nicholson (Henry Tankerville, NZL) 47.2 + 2.8 + 2/8 = 60
5. Ruth Edge (Mayhem lll, GBR) 45.2 + 6 + 1/8 = 60.2
6. Andrew Hoy (Moonfleet, AUS) 40.9 + 1.6 + 1/20 = 63.5
7. Frank Ostholt (Little Paint, GER) 42.8 + 28.8 + 0 = 71.6
8. Mary King (Call Again Cavalier, GBR) 42.6 + 34 + 0 = 76.6
9. Pascal Leroy (Glenburny de Leou, FRA) 50.6 + 2.8 + 24 = 77.4
10. Joanna May (Faere Vision, GBR) 46.5 + 26.4 + 2/4 = 78.9
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