WELLINGTON, Fla., Jan. 22--Olympic gold medalist Eric Lamaze of Canada on Narcotique de Muze II posted his first grand prix win at the 2009 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival Thursday, capturing the third leg of the Braman Motorcars WEF Challenge Cup Series.
They were the last of 12 combinations from 53 starters to move into the jumpoff after going clear on the course designed by Richard Jeffrey of England.The world's top ranked rider had to win on time as eight pairs had clear jumpoff rounds in the $30,000 class at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.
Lamaze and the 11-year-old Belgian warmblood mare completed the course in 34.143 secs., just 0.224 sec. ahead of Britain's Peter Charles on Murka's Pall Mall. The British pair continued to shine at the 12-week WEF after winning the Equisport Grand Prix last Sunday. In third place was the USA's Marilyn Little-Meredith on Comtesse du Lys.
"She is a winner, and I know her well," Lamaze said of the mare owned by Ashland Stables that recently returned from a successful European circuit."She is always behind the scenes behind Hickstead, but she has been the work horse. "Everywhere she goes, she manages to do something good. She is fast in the air, and has a big stride. You can keep pushing her at every jump. She has good instinct when you are coming forward to a fence."
Lamaze described WEF as "really hard competition" with "good footing" and "really refreshing, modern" jumps that for the first time at WEF have been supplied by Germany's Frank Rothenberger.
Results $30,000 BRAMAN MOTORCARS WEF CHALLENGE CUP, ROUND III
1 Narcotique de Muze II Eric Lamaze CAN 90.246 34.143
2 Murka's Pall Mall Peter Charles GBR 93.969 34.367
3 Comtesse du Lys Marilyn Little-Meredith USA 87.681 34.655
4 Rothchild McLain Ward USA 90.300 36.531
5 Quentin 13 Peter Wylde USA 88.208 36.673
6 Murka's Pom d'Ami Peter Charles GBR 93.861 37.164
7 Contino 14 Jonathon Millar CAN 93.231 39.947
8 Chambertino Ljubov Kochrtova RUS 94.095 42.367
9 Danny Boy Beezie Madden USA 91.088 4 35.479
10 Triviant Shane Sweetnam IRL 91.083 4 38.001
