Glamourdale Airlines takes off

Lottie Fry puts a tricky year behind her by completing a London treble, and Charlotte Dujardin makes a high-profile return as British dressage enjoys two stellar days

- By PIPPA ROOME

LOTTIE FRY and Glamourdale kept up their unbeaten record in the FEI Dressage World Cup grand prix freestyle at London, landing a third victory.

Last year, Lottie and her own and Van Olst Horses' 14-year-old black stallion won the freestyle in this pair of classes supported by Horse & Hound, but finished only third in the previous day's grand prix. This year they ruled supreme, with two virtually flawless tests that showed off all the Lord Leatherdale son's power and expression and garnered marks of 80.78% for the grand prix and 89.17% for the kür.

"It was just an incredible feeling, and I think these are two of Glamourdale's best-ever performances. We both love to be in London, the support from the crowd was just amazing today and he really rises to that," said Lottie.

The 29-year-old acknowledged that this hasn't been the pair's easiest year - after being individual medallists at three championships in a row, they were out of the individual honours at the European Championships in Crozet.

"We've both got our confidence back here in London and finished the year on the highest of highs," she said.

Lottie debuted a new freestyle at this summer's Europeans - "which is all about flying because that's what 'Glammy' does in the arena" - but unfortunately it proved no dream honeymoon.

She explained: "The music was a lot louder than we expected at the Europeans and it was just too much. Even for me, I was sitting there thinking, 'Ow."

Here, music and horse were perfectly matched, from Lottie's initial voiceover, "Welcome aboard Glamourdale Airlines, this is your captain speaking," which raised a giggle from spectators, through to the crowd clapping down the final centre line after she declared: "Ladies and gentlemen, we're approaching the judge at C, please fasten your seatbelts."

On the technical side, the pair have built back from some issues in the piaffe.