EQUESTRIANISM: Stockdale rides to deserved triumph

TIM STOCKDALE became the first British winner of this year's Millstreet World Cup Show when he rode Traxdata Glenwood Springs to victory yesterday, winning the Horsewear Power and Speed by a margin of 0.28 seconds.

This was an ideal contest for Glenwood Springs, who was promoted to major classes too rapidly after Samoens was sold to a United States rider in the summer. Lacking confidence on the bigger tracks, this was an ideal test for the horse.

Michel Hecart, the Frenchman who won two classes when competing in his first Horse of the Year Show at Wembley just over a month ago, achieved another two victories. His second success came in the Waterford Crystal Stakes, the controversial "pre-qualifier" for today's World Cup contest in which none of the nine British contestants were among the top 20 to go through.

The new World Cup rules, which require riders to "qualify for the qualifier" in a speed competition, had the look of a lottery as horses scuttled round a small course last night.

Results, Digest, page 26