Filip de Wandel Wins $30,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake at Tryon

By on 2022-05-10

Mill Spring, North Carolina – May 5, 2022 – Filip De Wandel (BEL) soared to the winners’ circle aboard Manhattan Van’t Leeuwerikenhof in the $30,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake in Tryon Stadium with a jump-off time of 42.581. In second place was Jimmy Torano (USA) piloting his own Chewbacca HCC, the 2012 Holsteiner gelding (Clarimo x Quintero), to a time of 42.663. Tiffany Hammack (USA) secured third place with Ferasin LTD’s Verdi O’merveilles, the 2009 Selle Francais gelding (O’my Star x Quick Star), locking in a time of 42.866.

With two horses in the class, De Wandel (BEL) was glad to get a second chance at the course designed by Peter Grant (CAN) with Five Way Farm, LLC’s 2012 Belgian Warmblood gelding (Emerald Van’t Ruytershof x Kashmir Van Schuttershof), after his first ride didn’t go as planned.

“I had another horse first, and I didn’t really ride my plan to the triple combination, so I think I was a little more ready for it with this [horse]. I think it was a fair course. Of course, it was a little careful, so you always have to jump it clear. But it was a fair course, I thought there was still enough clear for the jumpoff,” explained De Wandel.

Being the final rider in the jump-off was also a benefit, he added. “I had the advantage of going last, so I could sit out a little bit. And I think the very fast ones [hit] the rails, so I didn’t need to go all the way. And then I decided to for sure to try to keep clear, and I was also just fast enough still.”

De Wandel’s relationship with “Manhattan” is still blossoming and the duo are coming from a challenging winter in Florida. “I’ve had ‘Manhattan’ since June last year. He jumped this winter in Wellington in the four stars, which was a little bit of a level up for him. So [Tryon Spring 1] was actually a little bit of a break now from Wellington, so this was a nice class for him. For him, this [class] was not too big.”