Harrie Smolders speeds to victory in Credit Suisse Geneva Classic

Harrie Smolders speeds to victory in Credit Suisse Geneva Classic
At the first day of the 57th edition of CHI Geneva Harrie Smolders was the fastest in the 1.55m Longines Ranking Class with his horse Zinius (s. Nabab de Rêve). The Credit Suisse Geneva Classic was a table A against the clock with a total of 52 starters.

The dutch rider rode his 13 year old gelding around the course in a fast time of 61.28 seconds without having a fence down. He was just a little bit faster than Egypt's Abdel Saïd and the belgian mare Hope van Scherpen Donder (s. Quadrillo). Saïd and the ten year old bay were also clear but in a time of 61.35 seconds. In third place we saw Laura Kraut and Deauville S (s. Diamant de Semilly). They kept the zero on the scorebord in 62.89 seconds.

The top five was completed by Belgium. Gregory Wathelet ended on fourth place with Eldorado van het Vijverhof (s. Thunder van de Zuuthoeve) and Jérôme Guery with Garfield de Tiji des Templiers (s. Quasimodo Z). They both stayed clear with their stallions in respectively 63.00 seconds and 63.47 seconds.

Harrie Smolders said in a short reaction: "I had the best feeling with Zinius today. He is very competitive. It was a challenge for him. He did everything I asked him for and he is naturally very fast but I wasn't sure that we were fast enough but just enough to win! I am very proud of Zinius."

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