Plenty of pressure for Jonelle today as she headed the leaderboard on Capitaine de Hus Z (Alvin) and sat in equal 8th on Chilli’s Midnight Star (Ollie). Jonelle is no stranger to pressure and it’s true to say that she does thrive on it but both of these horses are not straightforward cross country machines and both had been strong and (fair to say!) downright rude at Royal Jump 4*Long back in the end of May when they both picked up jumping faults cross country.
Ollie comes here off the back of a really disappointing run at Hartpury in the British Open where he picked up 40 jumping late on and Alvin has prepped through some quiet open intermediates. It really was all to play for today and an added pressure to qualify for 5 star which has always been the aim for both of them.
We don’t get to see Jonelle ride fast that often but boy, when she does, it is pure class! She and Alvin headed out third to go and right from the start box she was on it. They set up a relentless gallop and survived a heart stopping moment at the second water when Alvin decided, since he was in Scotland presumably, he would emulate the great Murphy Himself ( and Ian Stark) by bouncing the one stride at the double of fishes in the water. Jonelle’s face was a picture, she described her self as “being left behind like a right pony clubber” and she did say she added about 5 strides to the next flyover to recover their equilibrium. Alvin, for his part, looked perfectly comfortable with the move and even a little bit proud of himself for executing it perfectly as well he might. No one else did it all day, high five to Alvin for pulling it off and hey ho, he stayed honest all the way to the end adding just 2.4 time to retain his lead.
Between Alvin and Ollie there were some good rounds, a couple inside the elusive time and some eliminations and retirements. Jonelle and Ollie set out looking as equally quick as Alvin and yet again we were treated to a masterclass of cross country from both of them. Jonelle never wasted a second ( possibly apart from a fairly cautious approach to the double of fishes!) and Ollie returned to the great form he showed throughout 2024. They looked a team and when you are hunting the time down at that level it sometimes looks scrappy but Jonelle and Ollie looked nothing but class throughout the round.
At the end of the day Jonelle sits in 1st and 5th which is the best day at the level she has had for a while and it was much deserved. Just a jog and a showjumping to go tomorrow but whatever happens, today was a great day.
I have no doubt they will be partying at the Palace tonight!