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Another Record Poised to Tumble
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Photography by Eye Witness Images
Katie Laurie is calling on her ‘second’ string to come through for the 2015 Bostock International Olympic Cup.
With Dunstan Kiwi Iron Mark (owned by June Berrington) and Frangipanne de Toxandria (owned by Jill Morrison) now in the United States, Laurie expects great things from Dunstan Breeze and Dunstan Lucca.
However, these are two very in form horses – Breeze just won the NRM New Zealand National Premier Horse Championship at the McMillan Equine Feeds NZ National Showjumping and Showhunter Championships, with Lucca fourth in the very testing class. Laurie (Mystery Creek) also won the Fiber Fresh Country TV New Zealand Grand Prix Horse Championship on her 2014 Olympic Cup champ Dunstan Springfield.
“I expected Breeze to jump well at Nationals because she has been going so well, but Lucca jumped unbelievably. He’s a year younger and is stepping up faster than we expected.”
Neither Breeze or Lucca have contested the big classes at HOY, but it could be a dream début for the two.
Laurie heads into New Zealand’s premier class poised to make history – again.
The 28-year-old has won the Olympic Cup five times on five different horses over a seven year period.
Only John Cottle (Auckland) has won the cup more times than her, with his six titles, but his were spread over 32 years.
Cottle won his first Olympic Cup aboard Rifleman in 1973, and his last in 2005 on Telegraph, and each of his six was also on different horses.
Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) has had five wins aboard four horses.
But Laurie could throw a hankie over her victories – 2008 aboard Dunstan Forrest II, 2010 on Dunstan Delphi, 2011 on NRM Seremonie VDL, 2014 on Dunstan Daffodil and 2014 on Dunstan Springfield.
Laurie was the first rider ever to win three Olympic Cup titles in a row, and her first title in 2008 came 30 years exactly from when her father Jeff McVean won his first – and only – title in 1978 aboard Claret.
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