Coney leads Britain to Nations Cup third

The French prove unstoppable on home soil, but two young Brits shine

- ELLIE HUGHES

Le Pin Au Haras, Normandy

RICHARD CONEY led the British team to third in the opening leg of this year’s Nations Cup series.

Riding his 2019 young rider team gold medal-winning partner, Kananaskis, the 21-year-old put in a solid performance in all three phases to finish eighth and best of the 14 British horses who crossed the Channel and lined up for the first post-pandemic international.

“It was great to be out again at an event of this calibre and satisfying to pull offa good result,” said Richard, whose star has been very much in the ascent in the past two years and especially since making a successful senior team debut in the Nations Cup leg at Houghton last May. “Bar the odd blip Kananaskis is a really consistent horse who is suited to the big occasions. We came here two years ago to do the CCI4*-S and I would say the cross-country track was stronger this time.”

Richard also jumped a footperfect cross-country clear on the less experienced Mermus R Diamonds to finish 25th individually. He is planning to make his five-star debut at Pau with both horses.

The French team led from the start, with Thibaut Vallette and his five-star campaigner Qing Du Briot IFCE and Thomas Carlile with the up-and-coming mare Birmane sharing the top spot after the showjumping and going on to finish first and second.