Smith triumphs at Olympia on Raging Bull

Robert Smith continued the British feelgood factor at this year's London International Horse Show by taking the Six Bar Challenge class.Smith won his second competition of the show on Raging Bull Vangelis-S after a keenly-fought contest.
By The Newsroom
Published 21st Dec 2010, 08:45 BST

Smith's victory came just 24 hours after his Great Britain colleague Michael Whitaker landed the prestigious Rolex World Cup qualifier and 30,000 euros in prize money.

Whitaker became the first British Olympia World Cup winner since 2005, continuing a vastly-improved year for top British riders after an impressive third place overall finish in the Nations Cup team series.

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Earlier in the day, exciting Somerset prospect Jessica Mendoza underlined her rich promise by posting an emphatic success in the Junior Stakes.

The show concluded late last night with the Martin Collins Eraser Stakes, and culminating in the Olympia Grand Prix, which was won last year by Irish challenger Cian O'Connor.

The race for this year's coveted Olympia leading rider title is set for a thrilling conclusion in the grand prix.

Ellen Whitaker kept herself firmly in contention by capturing the Eraser Stakes speed class on Royal Rose.

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Their time of 46.47 seconds edged out Laura Renwick (Limelight de Breve) by 0.40secs, with Holland's Eric van de Vleuten – Olympia World Cup winner last year – third on VDL Groep Cannelina.

Yorkshire rider Whitaker, Renwick and Ben Maher – seventh in the Eraser Stakes – are all contesting leading rider honours, in addition to Dutch challenger Marc Houtzager.

Just four points separate the leading four riders – Maher leads Houtzager by one – going into the grand prix.