A case of déjà vu

The same two riders finish first and second for the second successive international show, and an exciting home-bred appears from nowhere”

Chepstow Spring International CSI2* David Broome Event Centre, Monmouthshire

THERE was déjà vu at Britain's second two-star show of the season when the top two places in the grand prix went to the exact same combinations as the previous week at Chard - Mikey Pender on HHS Cornetta and William Whitaker on Chacco's Lando (see report, p66, and box, top right).

But while William may have missed out on the top payout for the second week running, his brother George banked a victory in Friday's big tour 1.45m Longines rankings class with his father-in-law Martin Wood's prolific winner Peanut.

This track jumped arguably tougher than the grand prix, with just five from 65 starters going through to the second phase although all of those then left the fences standing.

Fellow Whitaker clan member Joe Clayton had set a solid lead with the consistent Gentlemen VH Veldhof, quick enough to deflect a bid from Billy Twomey and his Bolesworth grand prix winner Chat Botte ED. But Peanut always poses a threat when he makes a jump-off, and he forged a 0.41sec advantage from final draw.

"Joe's horse has a big stride but it was a course that suited me really. There was a line from an oxer to a double that was identical to a line I'd had down when I was abroad," said George, who recently returned from Belgium.