Winning the first qualifier on Friday, the French rider Sébastien Duplant and his partner Pégase du Mûrier (Adelfos x Le tot de Semilly) confirmed their great form by winning the Grand Prix de la Ville de Vichy. Duplant was last to go in the jump off, and he made it all look very easy as he took a popular home win ahead of another young French rider, Benoît Cernin. Dutch rider Edwin Smits secured third place with Simone Coata from Italy, named the best rider of the show, as number four.
After four international wins at 2 star level, the duo Sébastien Duplant and Pégase du Mûrierstepped up a level by winning a 3 stars Grand Prix. "This is our first success at this level" Sébastien explained after his win, delighted with the performance of his grey stallion. The young professional rider (25 years) knew that his powerful partner had the ability to win. "Out of 50 riders at the start, the majority intended to ride the class despite the rain, so I said 'why not me? I decided to withdraw from the class if had a fence down, to save my horse for the next competition. But he was fantastic! We were only four at the jump off, and only one rider had made a clear round without going very fast. Pégase can not do more than 4 points, so I decided to give it all. At worst I would have been second."
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