Team Meade Triumph Twice

Harry Meade and stable jockey Tim Rogers score, a refocus helps Alex Bragg and Taylor and Townend take two each test felt very correct, so it was nice that was reflected in his mark.”

- Catherine Austen

HARRY MEADE’S yard scored an international double at the final running of this fixture. Harry took CCI2*-S section A on the consistent Brookfield Cavalier Cruise, while Tim Rogers, who has been Harry’s stable jockey for the past six years, won CCI2*-S section B with Newton Belize.

Six-year-old Brookfield Cavalier Cruise, who won at Dublin as a four-year-old before being bought by Alison Swinburn and John and Chloe Perry, stayed on his dressage score of 24.2 to hold off Kitty King with Vendi Cruz by 1.2 penalties. This was his third good result at this level in 2019, following ninth at Chatsworth and third at Burgham.

“He’s a relaxed, level-headed horse who has been improving all season,” said Harry. “He has a really nice way of going and his test felt very correct, so it was nice that was reflected in his mark.”

It was an emotional result for Vendi Cruz’s owner Vicky Rieunier. The Ars Vivendi eight-year-old missed the whole of 2018 after suffering a catastrophic accident to his hock in the field, and Vicky, who lives locally to the event, scattered some of her late mother’s ashes at Gatcombe.

“Every run he has, however he does, is a bonus,” said Vicky.

Kitty added: “We had no huge expectations of him this season, so to finish second in such a massive section is brilliant. But did Harry have to go fast across country? I’ve won four stays at Whatley Manor in nine outings here and I was going for my fifth!”

Third, just 0.2 of a penalty behind, was Ardeo Fun Size, whose jockey Phoebe Locke also won open intermediate (OI) section J on Pica D’Or.