RACHAEL Thompson bridged a gap of almost 19 years when winning the EI110 at Hazeldene last Saturday on Lisa Rosbotham’s Govalent whose fan club was much reduced in size at the Co Down venue as most were in Badminton supporting his three-year-older Valent full-brother, Jewelent.

Unlike that Clare Abbot-ridden gelding and the pair’s 2014 full-sister, Cooley Rosalent (CCI3*-L), who are, like their dam – the seven-time track winner Bellaney Jewel (by Roselier) – both grey, the seven-year-old Govalent, who only started eventing last season is a bay.

“I just love this horse and am over the moon!” said Thompson who is yard manager at the Rosbothams’ Keonan Stables and whose last Eventing Ireland success came in a Junior class at Ballynagarrick in August 2003. “He’s got such a good brain, is very trainable and gives 110% every time. He’ll next go to Necarne and then, hopefully, he will compete in the two-star-long at Millstreet which will be my first international.

“Andrew made a few changes from last year and the cross-country course was lovely but needed jumping. The rain we got on Friday meant that the going was perfect. With Lisa and Barbara at Badminton, their brother Philip travelled with me to the event.”

Lucca Stubington recorded an all-the-way success in the four-runner EI110 (Open) on Jackie Harris’s Kiltown Watson, whose completion score of 30.2 included 3.2 cross-country time penalties. This was a first EI win for the nine-year-old Carrick Diamond Lad gelding.

In finishing on his flat work mark, Steven Smith occupied the runner-up spot with Tessa Westbrook’s I’m Special de Muze gelding Lavori (33.3) who won two regular EI110 classes last month at Tyrella.

It was disappointing that this event, the second affiliated one-day to be staged by Andrew and Laura Napier at Hazeldene, didn’t attract a larger entry given the huge amount of work – and timber – which went into producing good ground and four tracks. However, coming after the international at Ballindenisk and with Badminton returning to the calendar following its two-year absence, this wasn’t too surprising, according to Andrew.

“We expected as much and could probably have done with a different date. However, it all went very well and riders were delighted with a new loop of an extra 500 metres where they could gallop on. I was very happy with the ground, apart from maybe one dressage arena. Running an EI80 certainly helped with the numbers.”