EQUESTRIAN: Peter Charles set himself up as the new pretender to Eddie Macken's throne when claiming a second consecutive British Jumping Derby with the mare Corrada at a rain-soaked Hickstead yesterday, to set off a second family celebration following the birth of his third child - a daughter - last Monday.
Macken's four-in-a-row between 1976 and 79 has never been equalled, but Charles set himself well on the road to that target at the Sussex venue yesterday afternoon when scoring in a two-horse jump-off to scoop the superb trophy that depicts Macken and the great Boomerang coming off the world-famous Derby Bank.
In conditions remarkably similar to 12 months ago, heavy rain had left the footing greasy, as Tim Stockdale found to his cost when Wiston Bridget skidded and fell down the bank. But Robert Smith, bidding for his first Derby win in pursuit of father Harvey's four victories, made little of the massive track to record a superb clear with the inexperienced Mr Springfield.
Produced in Northern Ireland by Jimmy McCloskey, the nine-year-old Mr Springfield had won a less than inspiring Derby Trial on Friday.When the Western Promise gelding relished yesterday's more searching questions, despite having never tackled a Derby track, Smith was tempted to dream he could become only the second rider to win the Derby Trial and the Derby on the same horse in the same year.
That man again, Macken, is the only person ever to have achieved that double in 1979, although Peter Charles made his own bit of history last year when scooping the Trial with Carnavelly and then the Derby two days later on Corrada, clear everywhere except on the clock, which added two time faults to his tally.
The mare, which had been part of Ireland's European gold medal team in Holland last year, had earlier picked off the La Baule Derby in France and then made it a double in Hickstead three months later. Back for a second crack at Hickstead, Charles admitted there was far more pressure on him this time, but starting favourite certainly didn't faze the 42-year-old and, drawn four from the end, he was determined to force a jump-off with Smith.
Corrada seemed just as focused and, launching herself from only a third of the way down the bank, left her jockey unsighted when his new hat fell over his eyes. "She's got a pair of eyes of her own," Charles said afterward, "and she knew what she was doing."
Somehow the grey got herself over the following 1.60 metre white rails, virtually without assistance from on top and then, with harmony restored, cleared the rest of the track effortlessly to put Smith in as pathfinder for the timed decider. Mr Springfield is something of a speed specialist, but his earlier exertions told on him second time round.
Charles and Corrada still had to leave all the fences standing, but the mare jumped an even better second round and, clear all the way, Charles had the roars of the crowd ringing in his ears as he set off on his second consecutive Hickstead Derby lap of honour.
That statistic allowed him to join compatriot Capt John Ledingham and Kilbaha in the record books as back-to-back winners, but Charles now has Macken's holy grail of four-in-a-row well in his sights.
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