Simon Delestre won the Copa Del Ray this afternoon. The class took a rather strange course: the first four combinations went clear in the first round but after that nobody managed to keep the clear. So a jump-off with four had to decide the winner and that winner became Simon Delestre: 'I knew I had to throw everything into the fight,' he told afterwards.
"The atmosphere was incredible. We had a really amazing first round but I did not expect there to only be four clear rounds. Going first with only four riders I had to try everything I could. He has a massive canter so I had one less from [fences] 1 to 2, then I was fast enough - I am really proud of him.”
Looking ahead to tomorrow's Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Madrid, Delestre has his eyes on the prize: “Tomorrow is a different story, I am going to ride Cayman Jolly Jumper, who won yesterday. So my horses are in super shape this weekend, and I hope this will continue tomorrow.”
Source; Press Release