IRISH event horse Boleybawn Prince by Colin Diamond with Saumur-based French eventer Maxime Livio was only beaten by 39-hundredths of a second by Olympic champion Michael Jung in the crowd pulling Devoucoux Indoor Derby class at Bordeaux.
Jung, the multi-tasking eventer showjumper, was given a strong challenge from the Irish horse and galloped a foot perfect round to win in 126.80 seconds with his eight-year-old Hanoverian mare Corazon. Boleybawn Prince, who is now owned by Thai rider aiming for the Asian Games in Jakarta this year, was loaned to Livio, her trainer and official eventing trainer for the Thai Federation.
The Indoor Derby was a spectator favourite at the show, and Boleybawn Prince did not disappoint, challenging Jung to the last second and finishing clear in 127.19.
Jung, who was second in the Geneva Indoor Derby with Corazon, collected €4,000 in Bordeaux. He said: “The course was well designed and a pleasure to ride. There were many options to do short cuts. It was very interesting.”
Bordeaux is renowned for energetic audiences who appreciate winning rounds and Jung was given huge support. “The crowd here is amazing. They are cheerful and fair play as they encourage even the foreign riders.”
Meanwhile, Livio, who collected €3,000, was equally a media hero as he was interviewed for TV with Boleybawn Prince still at the rein, and his showjumping girlfriend Mathilde Montginoux helping out as groom.
“Boleybawn Prince is owned by a private owner from Thailand called Minh who is based with me as I am Thai official team trainer and I ride Boleybawn when Minh is abroad. He is so careful, very experienced and he is easy, you can ride him in a snaffle and he knows what he has to do.”
He added: “Boleybawn was bought in Germany from Dirk Schrader after Boekelo and has been at my yard for more than a year. My rider is now training for the Asian Games in Jakarta.”
Boleybawn Prince is out of a Clover Hill mare and was bred by Brian McDonnell.