The luck fell in Irish favor Friday as Philip McGuane (IRL) took a win on the grass derby field in the $62,500 Adequan® WEF Challenge Cup Round 6 aboard Orphea HQ, owned by Evergate Stables. With the jumpers back on the grass field for Week 6 of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), McGuane and his mount were pleased with the change of scenery as well as the result.
“She loves the field out here,” McGuane said of Orphea HQ. “I also like the field and she jumped a really good first round; I knew I had a good chance so I was neat everywhere and she’s a naturally very fast horse.”
The jump-off field was large, with 16 pairs clearing Catsy Cruz’s (MEX) first-round course, so McGuane’s win didn’t come easily. He laid down a fast time with quite a few still to come, and his time of 37.28 seconds held through the end. Juan Pablo Gaspar Albañez (MEX) and Odiel VDM, owned by Five Pines Equestrian, LLC, claimed second in 38.41 seconds, while fellow Irishman Bertram Allen took third with Qonquest de Rigo, owned by Ballywalter Stables Ltd., in 38.68 seconds.
Orphea HQ, an 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare (Emerald x Epleaser van't Heike) has progressed quite a bit since she won this exact class one year prior.
“She was really good all summer in New York, and at the end of the year she was fourth in a three-star grand prix down here,” McGuane remarked on the horse’s year between the two victories. “We had a slower start [here] and we did the two-star as a warm-up prep for this out on the field. She feels like herself and ready to do more.”
Now a more seasoned mount with added confidence from the wins she’s adding to her resume, McGuane knows he can count on her to show up. “She feels pretty fresh and she’s pretty feisty,” he said about her way of going. “She’s super careful; her stride isn’t big but she’s quick and turns well. She’s a very smart horse and I’m lucky to have her.”
McGuane’s role with Evergate Stables has allowed him to develop this partnership as well as bring up younger mounts, and he’s grateful for every ride.
“I have a few younger horses I’m producing,” McGuane said about his position. “Luckily enough Nayel [Nassar] lets me ride some of his and they let me keep Orphea and I get to jump some bigger classes. I’m very grateful to all of them.”
Up next for Orphea is Sunday’s $140,000 IDA Development CSI3* Grand Prix, then McGuane hopes to point her at the CSI4* Hermès 1.50m Final under the lights at the end of the season before heading back to their home base in North Salem, NY.
For full results of the $62,500 Adequan® WEF Challenge Cup Round 6, click HERE.
In the $6,000 Bainbridge 1.40m Speed, it was Avery Griffin (USA) atop the leaderboard as the only duo with a time below 60 seconds with Oh My Star van Strytem, owned by PBC Equine Investments LLC. In second place was Erynn Ballard (CAN) with Coline de Will, owned by Ilan Ferder, and third went to Eduardo Pereira de Menezes (BRA) and H5 Kosmo ES, owned by H5 Sport Horses LLC.
