Equestrianism: Classic win a surprise for Charles

Peter Charles said he was "not even trying" when he rode Cecilia to win in yesterday's The Classic, on the second day of the Essex International Show here. Having had the grey mare for barely a month, Charles had decided to school her around the jump-off course and he was therefore amazed to find he was the victor, having been the only one of seven to go clear in the deciding round.

Robert Whitaker was certainly trying when he achieved the fastest time (4.37 seconds faster than that of the winner) to be runner-up on Liz Hunt's Karina, who made her only mistake when taking the fourth of the jump-off fences at an oblique angle. Hunt had originally sent this compact 10-year-old bay mare to the Whitakers' Yorkshire yard for Robert's father, John, to ride.

It was the son, however, who clicked with her almost immediately – and the owner is delighted with Karina's excellent results.

Billy Twomey completed a satisfactory day for the Irish (who had filled the top two places in the earlier Two Phase contest in which Harry Marshall defeated Charles) by finishing third on Anastasia III. This mare was among the horses to change stables when Twomey moved from Michael Whitaker's yard four months ago to set up on his own.

Michael Whitaker missed this show to ride at Hachenburg in Germany as a representative of Paul Schockemöhle's PSI team.

This left Charles, also a member of the team, free to compete here – although it was not until the end of last week that the decision was made. Having thought he would be elsewhere and having "not even tried", he nevertheless carried off yesterday's top prize.

Cecilia, who came from Michelle Grubb in the United States, will jump again in today's Grand Prix, but Charles does not expect a repeat success and regards Robert Smith as the likely Grand Prix winner.

Yesterday, riding Marius Claudius, Smith set out on a determined bid for victory until the bay stallion ran out at the same fence as Karina, having also attempted it on an angle. "He'll not make the same mistake again," said Charles after Smith had finished in sixth place.