Equestrianism: Whitaker calls the tune on Hopscotch

JOHN WHITAKER achieved his second victory of the week with the 18-year-old veteran, Hopscotch, when he won yesterday's Everest National Championship on the third day of the Royal Show, writes Genevieve Murphy from Stoneleigh.

'He seems to have a new lease of life,' Whitaker said of the chestnut gelding, who rattled a pole on the last fence in the first round but made no semblance of an error in the two jump-offs.

The runner-up, and Whitaker's only remaining rival in the decisive round against the clock, was Mark McCourt, who won four classes at last month's Royal Highland Show. This time he retired into second place after Lapaz made a single error. Tony Maguire, the only other rider to go clear first time, finished third on Dun Corteiga.

The Everest prefix was carried by five of the horses, including Hopscotch, in a thin field of 15 starters. Four of them incurred faults in the first round, notably Tuesday's winner, Limited Edition (Nick Skelton), who dropped a hind foot in the water, Lifestyle (Michael Whitaker) and Asher (Liz Edgar), who both faulted at the treble.

This was John Whitaker's third national title. But his wins on Grannusch last year and Ryan's Son in 1976 were achieved against tougher opposition than yesterday's disappointing field.

Everest Hopscotch will be Whitaker's only mount at the Royal International Horse Show, which begins this morning at Hickstead. Grannusch has a split sole and Milton, though recovered from the injury sustained at Hickstead in May, will be kept fresh for this month's European Championships.

ROYAL SHOW (Stoneleigh) Everest National Championship: 1 Everest Hopscotch (J Whitaker) clear in second jump-off; 2 Lapaz (M McCourt) ret in second jump-off; 3 Dun Corteiga (T Maguire) ret in first jump-off.