The Snowman Stakes winners Laura Kraut and Cavalia. PC: Kit Houghton
It was a phenomenal weekend for the British crowd to cheer on their home team riders at the Olympia London International Horse Show, but American Laura Kraut was able to take home a piece of the Christmas Pie for herself, and the fans warmly celebrated her victory.
The Olympia regular – who is based out of Europe in the winter months – got the better of Italy’s Lorenzo De Luca in the Snowman Stakes, snatching the lead with an extraordinarily fast start to the jump-off. “I can’t believe I finally beat him,” said the delighted American rider. “He’s just so fast.”
Lorenzo had romped into the lead on Halifax van het Kluizebos, his winning partner from the previous day’s Longines World Rankings class, the Christmas Pudding Stakes, with just two left to go. But the last rider in the ring, Laura set out to win with the nine-year-old Cavalia and gained time back straight away between the first two fences.
Continuing to claim back time around the track, she came home cleanly with over a second in hand. “I only watched the others go on the screen in the collecting ring,” said Laura, “When I saw Lorenzo go, I decided then it had to be all-or-nothing to win.”
Maurice Tebbel of Germany popped into third aboard Camilla PJ, followed by fellow countrymen Daniel Deusser and Cornet d’Amour in fourth and individual Olympic silver medalist Peder Fredricson on H&M Carat Desire rounding out the top five.
Snowman Stakes Top Twelve