Equestrianism: Holsters' narrow victory

ARLETTE HOLSTERS, of Belgium, recorded her fourth win of the Addington Dressage International - and her third with the 11-year-old mare, Faible - when she won yesterday's Grand Prix Special, writes Genevieve Murphy. Faible was, however, less settled than when winning the Grand Prix by a 56-point margin on Saturday. This time Holsters finished just one point ahead of Switzerland's Hans Staub on Dukaat, with Britain's Ferdi Eilberg two points further back in third. Arun Tor made two major mistakes, when breaking into canter during trot movements, but some of his other work was outstanding. Two of the judges had the British-bred horse in first place.

'He is very anxious in his nature and you can't change that,' Eilberg said of the powerful 12-year-old bay gelding. 'But the talent is there, he can do all the movements really well and he is getting more

relaxed. This is the first year that I've been able to ride him without the safety switch on.'

Emile Faurie had missed this class because his top partner, Virtu, was injured on Thursday evening. But there was some compensation for the British rider when he gained his second win of the meeting on eight-year-old El Lute, who took yesterday's Intermediaire I with 20 points in hand.

Laura Fry had looked the likely winner of the Grand Prix Freestyle to Music after a lovely test on Quarryman. But Dominique d'Esme, from France, foiled that expectation.