16 Oktober '23
Cuba Libre de Nevada Z triumphs in the CSIO4* Word Cup GP of Rabat
© Stud For Life
After the opening week in Tetouan, the second week of the Morocco Royal Tour was on the program last week and more specifically in Rabat. On Friday afternoon the 1.55m high World Cup Grand Prix was the absolute highlight and we saw a Zangersheide horse at the top of the rankings. It was the Belgian lady rider Marine Scauflaire who jumped to the victory with the 9-year-old gelding Cuba Libre de Nevada Z, a son of Charlekijn Van T&L and Thunder van de Zuuthoeve who was bred by Karel Van Damme. Scauflaire and Cuba Libre de Nevada Z remained clear in the first round and with that performance they were among the 10 best combinations that managed to qualify for a second and decisive round. They managed to repeat that flawless performance from the first round and with a finishing time of 41.53 seconds to added this GP to their list of honors!
Marine Scauflaire: “Cuba Libre de Nevada Z has been moving in het right direction for a few months now, but I didn’t expect him to win here. But every time, for several months now, he’s been there. I set off in this second with the sole aim of getting a clear rout, but not to win, as Cuba Libre is still relatively ‘green’ and not everything is yet perfect… But the game has turned in our favor today.”
Who also managed to win a class in Rabat was Scauflaire's compatriot Jérôme Guery and the 9-year-old mare Come Away Flamingo Z, a daughter of Cardento VDL and Dollar du Murier who was bred in France by Alexandra Rantet. Guery and Come Flamingo Z appeared yesterday at the start during the 1.50m high Longines Ranking class and were one of the 9 combinations that managed to qualify for the jump-off. They rushed to the finish in 41.35 seconds, which gave them a lead of more than 1.5 seconds over the competition.
Yesterday the CSIO4* Nations Cup was also on the program in Rabat and several Zangersheide horses also jumped into the spotlight. For example, there were 2 clear rounds for the Belgian rider Cyril Cools with the 12-year-old grey stallion Milton Z, a son of Mylord Carthago and Sandro Boy who was bred in the Netherlands by Freek Hoogenboom and with whom Cools finished 2nd the week before during the World Cup Grand Prix in Tetouan. Cools and Milton Z confirmed this good form in Rabat and with their 2 clear rounds the played an important role in the Belgian victory.
On Friday, Cools was also placed again with the 14-year-old grey mare Seahorse Z (Scendix x Chellano Z – B: NV Chatho). During the 1.40m high speed class, Cools and Seahorse Z managed to ensure a clear round and this performance was good for a 4th place in the rankings.
During the Nations Cup, the French rider Nicolas Deseuzes also managed to complete a clear round with the 10-year-old stallion Eldorado Sunheup Z (Eldorado van de Zeshoek TN x Quartz du Chanu – B: Carine Groualle), with whom he secured already a 5th place during the 1.50m class on Thursday. Deseuzes and Eldorado Sunheup Z remained clear during the first round and saw a pole roll out of the cups during the second round.
Finally, during the 1.50m class on Saturday, a podium place was reserved for the Liechentein lady rider Jennifer Hochstadter with the 12-year-old stallion Tinka's Hero Z (Tinka's Boy x Caretino - B: Vincent Jourdan and Luc Henry). In the 'Winning Round', Hochstadter and Tinka's Hero Z remained clear and this performance secured a 3rd place in the rankings.