AFTER falling at the final fence in Saumur last week when on course for victory, Kitty King immediately bounced back to winning ways at Tattersalls CCI** in Ireland this weekend.

The Lower Stanton St Quintin rider played her familiar game of ‘catch me if you can’ when leading after the dressage with Persimmon’s impressive 37.2. She kept her cool to retain the top spot throughout, with no time or jumping faults to add after all three phases.

King’s second ride Mo Cuiske also did her proud with a fifth-placed finish in the CCI*, again with a double clear that’s fast becoming a trademark.

Reflecting on Zidante’s fall at Saumur, King said; “It’s disappointing for her owners and everyone involved, but she didn’t do a lot wrong - just pecked on landing.

“That’s eventing for you. You have to take these things on the chin, learn from your mistakes, don’t dwell on it and move on.

“It’s great to put that to bed straight away and come back with a win.

“Both horses couldn’t have performed better; I was hoping for a good finish and I was confident that it was within Persimmon’s capabilities.

“My one-star horse isn’t the flashiest on the flat, and I was targeting a top 10 finish, so to be competitive and come fifth was really nice.

She added: “I’m aiming for Barbury for Persimmon’s first three-star event. It’s a very twisty track with a great atmosphere and it’s great to have it on our doorstep. All being well he’ll be aiming for an Autumn four-star next year.

“I’d like to think that Zidante can go to Badminton next year.

“I could have taken her this year but wanted to give her a bit more three-star mileage.

“We’ll go to Aachen at the end of the month and hopefully Pau at the end of the season.”

Membury’s Laura Collett came third on Obos Cooley, who made his debut at CCI*.

There were no ribbons for her other two rides, Controe and Noble Skyboy, who both incurred penalties after having a single fence down in the showjumping.

But Collett expressed her pleasure at the pair who were both experiencing their first three-day event, dubbing them ‘stars of the future’.

Highworth-based Paul Tapner had mixed fortunes with his rides in the two-star as he piloted Indian Mill to ninth place, with an unlucky rail in the showjumping dropping them down from fourth.

Up In The Air didn’t fare quite so well when incurring time and jumping penalties after a mishap at the steps across country, which put them well down the placings.

They concluded with a clear showjumping round.

Marlborough-based New Zealander Andrew Nicholson was typically consistent with his four rides at Tattersalls and turned it into a dressage competition.

He hacked round the cross country and showjumping phases to earn himself ninth and 17th in the CCI*, and eighth and 11th in the CCI** with a 100 per cent jumping record - no penalties to add from the showjumping and cross country.