El Jadida, Morocco – October 22, 2023 – After being rescheduled due to the appalling Bernard storm, the two Grands Prix in El Jadida, 1* and 4* were held as normal… that’s the advantage of the indoor arena. All’s well that ends well for Italy’s Emanuele Gaudiano with Nikolaj de Music, winner of the of His Majesty King Mohammed VI World Cup Grand Prix CSI 4*-W. The Italian achieved the same feat as Abdelkebir Ouaddar last year, winning the Grand Prix of Tétouan and El Jadida.
Following her win in the ONMT Grand Prix CSI 1*, Virginie Thonon (SUI), this time with Edgard de Préfontaine, qualified for the second round of the 4* Grand Prix together with ten other clear rounds. The first round was a familiar one from Swiss course designer Gérard Lachat (SUI), with several technical subtleties spread throughout the round. From thirteen obstacles, the second round was reduced to seven, including the double, on a very galloping course, a “real false” jump-off as is often the case in this type of class.
This was confirmed by the series of clear rounds, faster and faster… until the winner of the Grand Prix of Tétouan, the Italian Emanuele Gaudiano (ITA) and Nikolaj de Music, “killed the game”, taking two seconds and twenty-four hundredths off the time of Frenchman Olivier Robert (FRA), who was leading with Careca LS Elite at the time!
“I’ve won fewer classes here than in Tetouan: just one victory, but it’s the right one. In nine participations in the Morocco Royal Tour, I’d never won a Grand Prix and this year I’ve won two! I like coming here because of the appreciable weather at this time of year, because of the welcome from the Moroccans as well, but of course for the technical quality of the three stages, the ground and the choice of the course designers. In any case, I was right to come this year”!
Belgian rider Cyril Cools (BEL), who had a great Morocco Royal Tour, notably with Milton Z, managed to squeeze in second place in this 12-year-old grey, which is a credit to his name.
Final Results – €126,200 His Majesty King Mohammed VI World Cup Grand Prix CSI 4*-W
1) Emanuele Gaudiano (ITA) & Nikolaj de Music – 0 / 0 – 32.00
2) Cyril Cools (BEL) & Milton Z – 0 / 0 – 33.89
3) Olivier Robert (FRA) & Careca LS Elite – 0 / 0 – 34.24
Source: Press Release (edited) from Agence R&B Presse for the Morocco Royal Tour
Photos: © Agence R&B Presse / Adèle Renauldon
Categories: CSI 4*, English, Jumper News Italia, Longines FEI World Cup Jumping
