Course designer Alan Wade challenged 47 horse-and-rider combinations from eight nations with a winding 15-effort track in Thursday’s $5,000 FEI 1.45m Two-Phase. Although Millar and Future Adventures’ 15-year-old Brandenburg gelding weren’t the fastest pair over the initial phase, they stepped up their pace for a winning second-phase time of 23.45 seconds. 

“Christiano likes to go fast,” Millar said. “I was here all last week, and my experience has been that there is no speed limit in this ring. These people ride fast. So I came out motivated this morning and this week, and I wanted to get the horses going. The jump-offs in the previous classes have been big, and these guys all come out running. The more practice I get, the better off I will be.

“This facility is gorgeous, and the footing is unbelievable,” she added. “Everything is so nice, and the people are so friendly. It’s a joy to be here. I have a couple of really nice horses here. Jagger HX cruised around easy today, and he’s my main shot for Sunday’s Grand Prix. Then I have another really nice mare, Jelvinia MB, who will do the qualifier and the other classes. I hope to just keep doing what I did today.” 

Egypt’s Nayel Nassar rode to second place in 23.72 seconds aboard Evergate Stables LLC’s 13-year-old BE/SIES gelding Donvier (Don VHP Z). The USA’s Brian Moggre finished third aboard another Evergate Stables LLC entry, the 15-year-old Belgian Sport Horse gelding Edgard De Prefontaine (Contact vd Heffinck), after tripping the timers in 24.12 seconds.

Result