PETER CHARLES said when he won at Spruce Meadows on Friday night that it was only the beginning and last night he fulfilled that prediction by netting the juciest plum in the world of showjumping, the $725,000 du Maurier International with the only double clear over fences described as the biggest ever seen at the Canadian venue.
Charles, who switched his allegiance from Britain in 1992 and then won European gold in the green jacket of Ireland 12 months ago, has had his sights set on the du Maurier pot of gold all year, but particularly after missing out on an Olympic medal in Atlanta last month when he dropped to 11th after a superb start.
Twelve months ago he was denied by a last fence fault, but there were no mistakes last night, however. Even though the Irish failed to retain the Nations Cup honours on Saturday, sliding to a disappointing fourth, Charles was single-minded in his determination that the du Maurier winner's cheque for $230,000 would be made out in his name and nobody else's at the close of play.
It was no easy feat. Course designer Leopoldo Palacios set the most challenging of tests for the first round and nobody passed it until second last in when America's Anne Kursinski was clear with Eros. Captain John Ledingham had already guaranteed his place in the top 12 when faulting only at the first part of the combination, but Charles was only interested in pre-election and the 13-year-old La Ina was just the horse to provide it.
With his tail swishing and his ears pinned back on his neck, the chestnut gelding made only one semblance of a mistake when turning the flat rail on the bicycle fence round in the cups. But gravity was on Charles' side last night and the rail stayed put to leave the Irish jockey on that magic but all too often elusive zero.
The top 12 then came back to do battle with an even tougher track. Damian Gardiner just missed the cut by less than a second, but Charles was holding the advantage and Ledingham was still in with a shot.
The Army jockey slid out of the picture with two down, however, slashing his share of the prize pot to $12,000, but when Geoff Billington, Rodrigo Pessoa and Ludger Beerbaum all pooled zero scores the pressure was on Kursinski and Charles.
The American rider cracked under the strain. Having heard that three-time winner John Whitaker had stopped at the combination, she too made a bad mistake and. crashing through the first two elements, had no choice but to pull Eros out of the last.
The pressure was multiplied dramatically and piled onto Charles' shoulders, but he was more than up to the task and, to the accompanying screams of delight from more than 50,000 fans, the European champion conjured up yet another perfect nought and the hat flew up in the air as the 36-year-old set sail con the best victory lap of his career.
With Friday's winnings, plus a diamond ring for the individual award of brilliance, Charles' haul for the weekend was well over $120,000, which may be small in comparison with tennis and golf jackpots, but is way out in front on the showjumping circuit.
"The pressure of all that money makes it like wining five Grand Prix in one hit," said Charles even before taking home the cheque. "It took me 34 hours to get here but it was certainly worth coming."
Ludger Beerbaum, officially ranked number one in the world, had to settle for number two this time, with Brazil's Rodrigo Pessoa third and John Ledingham next best of the Irish in ninth.
