Equestrianism: Smith takes short cut to World Cup victory

Robert Smith took two near short cuts in yesterday's Verona Speed Stakes, which enabled him to win this opening contest of the Verona World Cup Show here yesterday without going at a headlong gallop on the nimble Gerry Maguire.

The Briton's first time saving route involved a difficult left-hand turn into the sixth fence, which his Irish bred mount negotiated remarkably smoothly. Only one other rider, Italy's Guiseppe Rolli, attempted to follow this route and his horse highlighted the problems by stopping at the fence.

Smith took a more well worn short-cut to the last of the 12 fences before defeating Italy's Juan Carlos Garcia and Bruno Chimirri, both by split seconds.

"This horse gets better and better even though he's still a bit green," Smith said of Gerry Maguire. "He had a couple of years off before I bought him, so he feels more like a seven-year-old than a nine-year-old."

The gelding won a speed class at the big German show at Aachen in June and was fifth in the small grand prix at Oslo last month. Smith believes that he has sufficient scope to be tackling bigger courses quite soon.

Yesterday's contest also provided a good start for Nick Skelton, the only other British rider competing here, who jumped a lovely clear round on eight-year-old Pandur to finish in sixth place. His time was only 1.48sec slower than Smith's winning round.

Skelton now has just three horses to ride: the two eight-year-olds, Pandur and Russel, plus nine-year-old Arko III, who will be jumping in his first World Cup qualifier here tomorrow. It was Arko's talent that prompted Skelton to come out of retirement last year so that he could aim for an Olympic place on the wonderful bay stallion, who (like his two stable companions) is owned by John and Lisa Hales.

Verona World Cup Show (Italy) results: Verona Speed Stakes: 1 Gerry Maguire (R Smith GB) clear 55.12sec; 2 Hamilton (J C Garcia, It) clear, 55.59; 3 Askoll Landknecht (B Chimirri, It) clear 55.77. Other GB: 6 Pandur (N Skelton) clear 56.60.