Equestrianism: Angot shows imperious form to seize double win

Florian Angot scored an impressive double at The Horse Show, as the Great Leighs fixture in Essex is known, when he rode both Grenat de Grez and First de Launay to victory on a day that was dominated by overseas riders.

The Frenchman was the first of seven to jump off for the County Classic, the principal event of the day, in which he set such a daunting target on First de Launay that his opponents declined to rise to the challenge. Ireland's Edward Doyle was 5.79sec slower when finishing runner-up on Midnight Call, with Britain's Tim Stockdale just 0.13sec behind in third place on Fresh Direct Wiston Bridget.

Stockdale had intended to ride Parcival in this class until the grey went down with a virus, but the part-Shire Bridget proved a good substitute with her two unhurried clear rounds. "The Dublin Puissance did her good, it encouraged her to get her feet in the air," Stockdale said of the mare, who was joint runner-up in the Irish contest.

Billy Twomey, who has set up his own yard after four years as Michael Whitaker's stable-jockey, rode Anastasia III to win the earlier Great Leighs Gamble. The 25-year-old Irishman defeated Nick Skelton, now back in action on Arko III after a short break following his fall at Chester last month, and Robert Smith on Marius Claudius.

THE HORSE SHOW (Great Leighs, Essex): County Classic: 1 First de Launay (F Angot, Fr) clear, 40.63sec; 2 Midnight Call (E Doyle, Irl) clear, 46.42; 3 Fresh Direct Wiston Bridget (T Stockdale, GB) clear, 46.55. Great Leighs Gamble: 1 Anastasia III (B Twomey, Irl) clear, 40.91sec; 2 Arko III (N Skelton, GB) clear, 41.86; 3 Marius Claudius (R Smith, GB) clear, 42.17. Stansted Hilton Premier: 1 Grenat de Grez (F Angot, Fr) clear, 31.57sec; 2 Europa Eins (H Luther, Ger) clear, 32.67; 3 Rodrigo III (C Hanley, Irl) clear, 32.68. Fordyce Curry Young Horse Class: 1 Kustenfee (H Luther, Ger) clear, 40.78sec; 2 Claydons Ice (C Hanley, Irl) clear, 41.37; 3 Olivier (D McPherson, GB) clear, 45.01.