The overnight leader on 220.5 was Ann Fonck on Spook N Ruffles and despite the assault from a field of 104 entries at Level 4 the Belgian professional hung on to share the lead by upping the score posted the night before… on her second mount, Gunners Specialolena!
The mare, sired by Gunners Special Nite out of Dolly Jac Olena and bred in Italy by Luigi Parise, slid to a searing 221.5. Under the guidance of Ann, the pretty bay belonging to Diego Dalla Gassa, won the Belgium Futurity last year and was third at the NRHA Germany Breeders Futurity with an amazing 227.5 score. “Dolly” also accompanied Laura Dalla Gassa to the title of Champion at the 2018 IRHA/NRHA 4-year-old Non Pro Levels 4 and 3. “She was focused and really good to me,” commented Ann. “I had her through the whole season of her four-year-old year, showing her three times. We had time to get to know each other and build up a great relationship of trust. I have been preparing her for this show now for about six weeks as she was kept home for a while after the Italian Futurity last year to have an embryo transfer and then came back to us.” Ann concluded, “If she makes any mistakes in the final it will be from trying too hard, certainly not because she doesn’t try hard enough!”
Joining Ann at the top then came the gelding CSG Magnifique Gun ridden by Polish professional Lukasz Czechowicz, head trainer at the Roleski ranch and Level 3 Champion at the NRHA Euro Futurity Open here in Cremona last year on Katarzyna Roleska’s CSG Piggiemove and Level 3 Champion at the Italian Futurity last December aboard CSG Copshot. The 6-year-old CSG Magnifique Gun, also owned by Katarzyna Roleska, is by the Roleski Ranch’s lead stallion Colonels Shining Gun out of Im Magnifique (by Magnum Chic Dream). “He is a talented horse and was really good in this qualifier,” said Lukasz. “My plan now is to keep him relaxed before the final because he has strong manoeuvres and knows his job well”. CSG Magnifique Gun was finalist at the 2017 European NRHA Open Futurity with … Ann Fonck in the saddle. At the end of today’s section, Ann also maintained third place in the qualifier with Spook on Ruffles.
With a run awarded 219 by the judges, Nico Sicuro secured the lead at Levels 3 and 2 partnered by Sugar Little Step. The attractive 7-year-old palomino owned by Quarter Dream and sired by Wimpys Little Step x Ah Sugar Sugar (by Lil Ruf Peppy) was 2016 NRHA European Derby Level 3 Open Champion and Level 4 Open Co-Reserve Champion with a whopping 228.5. Last year Gennaro Lendi guided him to become 2018 NRHA Italian Derby Level 4 Open Co-Reserve Champion here in Cremona. Describing the run today, Nico commented: “I had a good feeling with this horse today, he went really well. This was the first outing where I pushed him a bit harder and he responded. I have not been riding him for very long, so my main aim has been to create a feeling of trust and today we were working together. This confirms that the work so far has been useful because the horse needed very little preparation – he was already super”.
Three horse and rider conbinations were in second place at Level 3 just one point behind Sicuro on a score of 218 in this field of 103 riders: Walla Golden Arrow, shown by Giuseppe Prevosti, Cee U In Tinseltown with Petra Van Ede (Netherlands, owner Gisela Haas) and Kelly Zweifel riding Hollywoodmaster, owner Impresa Agricola Cuoghi.
Leading Level 1 with a score of 216.5 and tucked in behind Nico Sicuro in second place at Level 2, is Surprise Me Chic ridden by Luca Dossetto. The 6-year-old gelding by Arc Antares Surprise out of Babe And Chic and owned by Natalia Gambino was a 2017 Italian Futurity finalist at Levels 2 and 1 with Luca who later passed the reins to Andrea Castrucci. Back in the saddle in January this year, Dossetto, who is currently head trainer at the Castrucci family’s breeding facility in Tuscany, KN Reining Resort, rode the horse to the title of Limited Open Champion at the NRHA & AIQH Rome Shoot In this February in Rome. After today’s run, Luca commented: “We are really happy. He is an excellent athlete and fun to ride with strong manoeuvres all around and adapts well to all riders – he’s always hard working and kind. My thanks go especially to the Castrucci family and all my team here”.
Just one point behind, with a 215.5 and placed second in this Level 1 field of 96 entries was Italian professional Elio Simonini aboard Susanna Sodi’s Sevenchextocash. The 2012 gelding (Big Chex to Cash x Lil Chic Peppy) was guided to the title of IRHA/NRHA Futurity Reserve Champion Open Level 4 in 2015 by Bernard Fonck and has been extensively shown in Non Pro classes by his owner.
Salone del Cavallo Americano press office
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