McLain Ward and the twelve-year-old Zazu son, High Star Hero, jumped to a convincing victory in the CSIO5* 1.50m Longines Ranking class. The pair crossed the finish line in a time of 64.77 seconds, just a few hundredths of a second faster than Brazilian rider Stephan de Freitas Barcha. Barcha secured second place with a time of 64.96 seconds aboard the SF stallion Dinozo Imperio Egipcio (by Diamant de Semilly). Finally, Emilio Bicocchi completed the podium with a time of 66.48 seconds riding Exceliburg, a son of Kannan.

Just off the podium, French rider Kevin Staut claimed fourth place with the ten-year-old Balou du Rouet son, Queen's Balou B, while Giacomo Bassi rounded out the top five aboard Cash du Pratel (by l'Arc de Triomphe).

“That was nice, we are very happy with him!”, Ward said of the 12-year-old gelding.

“This is a horse owned by Mike and Wendy Smith, and he was with Thaisa Erwin (AUS) last year and had some success. I took over the ride at the end of last summer and we’ve had some very good days, a little bit of inconsistency - he’s a very sensitive horse and we’re just trying to dial that in - but he has a lot of quality and he wants to be good!”, he explained.

He said High Star Hero can jump the big classes - “yes 5* Grand Prixs also, we are just trying to get to a place where our results are consistent”. 

He felt that Stephan de Freitas Barcha had given them all plenty to do with his super-quick run. But Ward trusted in his horse’s scope and speed.

“We have a very big stride, and this big ring is a huge help. Uliano (Vezzani, top Italian course designer) allows you to get into a good gallop and just stay on it, and the more you can just not interfere the more this horse relaxes and does a very good job.  I was able to do one less to the last I think, and that probably sealed it”. 

 
 

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