Yasmin Ingham’s ride Banzai Du Loir was one of two horses sent to the holding box at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event first trot-up this afternoon.
The chestnut horse owned by Janette Chinn and The Sue Davies Fund passed when he was re-presented to the ground jury. The British world champions start as second favourites, with a 25% win chance according to data analytics experts EquiRatings.
One other horse was held at the Kentucky Three-Day Event first trot-up – Quantum Leap, owned by his rider Doug Payne and his wife Jessica. He too was accepted into the competition when re-presented.
New Zealand rider Matthew Grayling was a late withdrawal with Winky Foley’s Trudeau, leaving 35 horses to come before the ground jury, which consists of the USA’s Robert Stevenson (the president), Britain’s Judy Hancock and France’s Xavier Le Sauce.
As usual at Kentucky, for biosecurity reasons, all the horses who have flown in from Europe trotted up before those who live in North America.
Three other British pairs will start the competition alongside Yasmin and Banzai – Tom McEwen and JL Dublin, Oliver Townend on Cooley Rosalent and Kirsty Chabert and Classic VI.
Ireland fields one entry in Susie Berry with Clever Trick, while Germany has three – Malin Hansen-Hotepp (Carlitos Quidditch K), Christoph Wahler (D’Accord FRH) and Calvin Böckmann (The Phantom Of The Opera).
Home side rider Will Faudree caused a stir by trotting up Mama’s Magic Way in a bright pink suit. The best dressed prizes are awarded at a reception tonight, so fans will have to wait until then to see if it met the style police’s approval.
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