Sunshine Tour: Eiken Sato and Melypso Blue PS FRH top the podium in the Celeste Trophy

Matthew Sampson was second in this class with Equine America Ivanhoe GPH; won the 1.45 with MGH Candy Girl, was second with Curraghgraigue Obos Flight; and won the 1.40 with Geneve R

Vejer, 14th March, 2024.  The Japanese Olympic rider, Eiken Sato had an impressive win in the 1,50, Celeste Trophy, speed class yesterday, held in the grass David Broome arena.  He was riding Melypso Blue PS FRH a ten year old gelding by Messenger x Centadel, who has only been with Eiken since last September.  They took the lead early on in the class with a time of 61.32s and laid down the gauntlet for the rest of the 70 riders taking part. 

Never one to not take on a challenge and a regular competitor here, British, Matthew Sampson, also flew around the course, designed by Leopoldo Palacios Jugo, and finished in second place with Equine America Ivanhoe GPH (Marome NW x Indorado) in 61.87s.  Matt had a great day at the office!  He took the top two podium places in the Medium Tour 1.45 with MGH Candy Girl and Curraghgraigue Obos Flight;  and went on to win the 1.40 with Geneve R.

The remaining results in the Celeste Trophy class, sponsored by the magnificent wines of Bodegas Torres, were as follows;  third was , Portuguese, Duarte Seabra with HHS Washington (Tinaranas Inspector x Cavalier Royale);  Brazilian riders took the next two places, Pedro Junqueira Muylaert was fourth with Edora DHelby (Kouros DHelby x Papillon Rouge*Normandie) and Felipe Amaral, fifth, with Robinson 163 (Casall x Cassiano 3).

The Medium Tour 1.45 results,  behind Matt were:  in third, Spanish, Carolina Villanueva Suárez with Voice de Chenaie;  Dutch, Henk Van de Pol with No Fathers Girl was fourth and Spanish,  Álvaro González de Zárate, was fifth with Casa Diva PS.

In the 1.40, also behind Matt, was the Irish rider, Jonathan Smyth with Deloughtane Matoaka in second;  Belgian rider,  Dominique Joassin with In Love third;  Swedish rider, Amanda Eriksson with Hard Rock was fourth and finally Italian, Luca Moneta with Jolie Coeur DAvril was fifth.

The Big Tour 1.35 was pretty much dominated by British riders,  Joe Fernyhough  was the winner on Calcourt Countdown;  sliding into second place was Spanish, Lucía Fernández Hidalgo with Londons Bella and the rest of the podium were British;  Jude Burges with Undun was third and Chloe Winchester took both fourth and fifth with Ladoselli W and Konlenski.

In the remaining CSI4* classes, here at Montenmedio the Medium Tour 1.30 had a British top two from the Whitakers,  Thomas Whitaker and Billy Fu were first with John Whitaker taking second on Cornets Olona.  Third was Dutch, Sanne Thijssen with Con Quidam RB;  fourth Spanish, Kevin González de Zárate with Cinsey EK  and in fifth, British, Laura Mantel with Arizona DIve Z.

The Young Horse classes also ran yesterday  The winner of the 8yr old class was Spanish combination, Emeraude de Zabala ridden by Rubén Gómez Crespo.  The two, seven year old classes were won by, Helma Mouche and Brazilian, Yuri Mansur and  Emerlino VH Schaarbroek Z ridden by the Belgian, Filip Lacus.  The six year old winners were, Sing Zridden by British,  Tabitha Kyle and  Casallier with German rider, Enno Klaphake.  The first five year old class was won by British, Maisy Williams and Tuinman Van de Lentamel and the other class by Spanish, Fidel Dávila García with Enfant Terrible NH Z.

The 30th edition of the Andalucía Sunshine Tour, is sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sports of the Government of Andalucía, through Tourism and Sports of Andalucía.

Jumping continues today with thirteen classes, including the first Ranking class of the week.  Access to the installations is free, as is parking in designated areas.  If you cannot attend, live action can be seen streamed via the web page www.sunshinetour.net, the Sunshine Tour App or online on Clip My Horse.  Full results can be seen on our website and the App.

Press release Andalucia Sunshine Tour | Photo by Moisés Basallote: Eiken Sato e Melypso Blue PS FRH vincitori del Celeste Trophy 1.50 m all’Andalucia Sunshine Tour