Britain Wins Danish Nations Cup On Team Of Irish Sport Horses

A British team mounted entirely on Irish Sport Horses bought at Gorsebridge Horse Sales in County Kilkenny this evening won the three-star Nations' Cup at Odense in Denmark, beating 12 other teams.

Holly Gilliot had a double clear in today's Nations' Cup on Dougie Douglas (ISH), helping Britain to finish on a total of just eight faults. The combination previously showed their worthiness of selection on Sunday, 4th May, by winning the Chepstow CSI2* Grand Prix on the back of a successful Sunshine Tour in Vejer de la Frontera. Bred in County Limerick by John O'Brien, Dougie Douglas is a 2005 gelding by Ard VDL Douglas out of Neils Girl, by High Roller.

Tim Page piloted Santa Cruise II (ISH) at Odense, with four rails down in the first round and a great recovery to incur just four faults in the second. Sired by Robert Whitaker's Junior and Young Rider European Championship team gold medalist Randi, Santa Cruise II was bred in Co. Kildare by McCann's Hartwell Stud. The 10 year old grey gelding is out of the mare Tamerarra by Hartwell Stud resident sire Cruising.

A Touch Imperious (ISH) and 24 year old Harriet Nuttall had a clear and a four-fault round in the Nations' Cup in Denmark. By Touchdown, Monaghan's Leo Rice bred the 10 year old gelding out of the Cavalier Royale mare Cavimperius. This year has seen Harriet Nuttall and A Touch Imperious being placed in classes in Vilamoura, Oliva and most recently Maubeuge.

Jessie Drea today rode Touchable (ISH) with whom she made her Nations Cup debut in Copenhagen a year ago. At Odense, the British team score was so secure that she did not need to ride in the second round, having had just one fence down in the first.

Drea has had various successes with the 13 year old mare, including 2nd in the Lisbon CSIO3* Nations Cup, 2nd in the Wettenhall CSI3* Grand Prix (behind Ireland's Billy Twomey) and winning the Les Talent Hermès Under 25 team competition. Touchable is by James Kernan's Olympic Games mount Touchdown, and was bred in County Kildare by Dr. Noel Cawley out of his Irco Mena mare Irco Rain.

The British team's horses were sold at various times through Gorsebridge Horse Sales.

The Irish team finished seventh overall at Odense, on a total of 28 faults.