Equestrianism: Smith tops order for World Cup chance

Hard-earned win gives Robert, son of Harvey, his best hope of joining élite in six years

Robert Smith will be last to go in today's World Cup Qualifier at the Show Jumping Championships here, having ridden Mr Springfield to victory in yesterday's Christmas Cracker Stakes which decided the order of starting. Riders compete in the reverse order of merit.

"Going last is probably not a big advantage for me, because I'll be on a young horse," Smith said. His mount today will be the eight-year-old stallion, Marius Claudius, who also had the final slot last weekend in Geneva, where Mr Springfield won the equivalent of yesterday's contest. On that occasion Marius Claudius had a single error to finish equal 16th.

Yesterday Smith, who is always competitive, finished some 3.70 seconds ahead of Germany's Lars Nieberg who was runner-up on Fighting Alpha, with the Frenchman Michel Robert a split second behind him in third place. William Funnell jumped the only other clear round for Britain to finish sixth on Cortaflex Machiavelli, but the Whitaker brothers also went well, with both Michael on Landfurst and John on Carmen having a single error in this contest which was decided on time in the opening round.

Smith's last victory in a World Cup Qualifier was achieved here in 1996 with Tees Hanauer. "It's about time I had another one," the 41-year-old son of Harvey Smith said. Marius Claudius, with whom he is hoping to fulfill that wish, is among the talented young horses that are keeping Derek Ricketts, the British World Class Performance Manager, in buoyant spirits despite this year's dismal 16th place at the World Equestrian Games.

"We had a big disappointment at the World Games, but we are among the top eight teams in the world that have qualified for next year's Super League," Ricketts said yesterday. "The Germans competed in 23 Nations Cups, but we could only afford to go to 12 of them, which was fewer than any of the other countries that have qualified."

Looking ahead, Ricketts said: "We have to keep our place on the Super League and we need to qualify for the Olympics at next year's European Championships." He has already had meetings with some riders to talk about the strategy for tackling these two objectives. John Whitaker was one of those he spoke to. "John wasn't even in the running for this year's World Games, but now he has two good horses and we need him," Ricketts said.

OLYMPIA SHOW JUMPING CHAMPIONSHIPS: Champagne Taittinger Christmas Cracker Stakes: 1 Mr Springfield (R Smith, GB) clear, 53.69sec; 2 Fighting Alpha (L Nieberg, Ger) clear, 57.39; 3 Olympia (M Robert, Fr) clear, 57.67. Double Your Money: 1 Balaboeska (J Dubbeldam, Neth) 1700pts, 51.42sec; 2 Adolf (F Sloothaak, Ger) 1700, 51.62; 3 Filias (O Becker, Ger) 1700, 52.07. Accenture Young Show Jumper of the Year: 1 Matador (R Hill) clear, 39.29; 2 Witches Touch of Fleur de Lys (C Frazer) clear, 39.39; 3 Renzerin VD Rampaarden (J Billington) 4 faults, 38.07. British Equestrian Writers' Association Awards: Equestrian Personality of the Year: J Brakewell. Vivien Batchelor Trophy for the Most Outstanding Young Rider: M Beaumont. Liz Dudden Trophy for Contribution to Equestrian Sport: R Barlow.