Sergio Alvarez Moya (ESP) and Charmeur earned their second win of the 2020 Palm Beach Masters Series® in the $36,600 CSI5* NetJets Speed Challenge, recording a blisteringly fast time of 58.43 seconds. Amanda Derbyshire (GBR) was second with Lady Maria BH (62.44 seconds), while Egypt’s Nayel Nassar and Igor van de Wittemoere were third (62.73 seconds).
Twentieth to go in the field of 36, Moya put the pedal down from start to finish over Course Designer Alan Wade’s (IRL) 1.45m track, improving on his performance one day earlier in the $36,600 CSI5* Suncast Welcome Stake.
Sergio Alvarez Moya (ESP) on Charmeur. Photo by Kathy Russell Photography.
“Yesterday, I went fast, but I had a bit too much control in some of the turns, an extra stride, and I had the last fence down,” Moya said.
“[Charmeur] really enjoys going fast. I knew McLain was coming behind me [today, and also] has a naturally very fast horse [in Catoki]. So I said, ‘I have to try from [Jump] 1 to the last.’”
The plan paid off for the longtime partners, who also won the $72,900 CSI4*-W Candy Tribble Qualifier during Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Week at Deeridge Farms in January. Charmeur’s competitive fire was on full display as the gelding bounded around the course, putting forth great effort across several oxers, while never letting up on his gallop.
“He’s not the most scopey [horse], but he’s very careful and a fighter; he never gives up. Obviously, when you go fast, he doesn’t need to try as hard. He uses his speed a little bit,” Moya said, adding that Charmeur seems to have a preference for Deeridge Farms’ Grass Arena.
“He has a big personality; you can [really tell] what he likes and doesn’t like.”