Can anyone catch him? Unstoppable Edwards takes blistering speed Derby win

Mark Edwards is the “man to beat, every time he goes in the ring”, and he proved it once again today, as he and the fabulous Royale Tale won the Brilliance Horse Auction Speed Derby on their first attempt.

Mark and the home-bred 10-year-old jumped one of only two clears to clinch the title in 95.8sec, with Joe Whitaker (Icaterina) second in 103.63 and Jess Hewitt (Hot Bluebird) third in 103.95.

Mark has been flying of late; he and Flying Tinker II won on the opening day of the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby meeting, which came hot on the heels of Mark’s clean sweep at the South of England Show (6-8 June).

“She’s been on great form,” Mark said. “She’s naturally quick and a real winner.”

Mark said his plan was to start in a good rhythm, and they were smooth as silk all the way to the bank, which the mare, by Mark’s great former campaigner Montreuxs Tale, popped up and down as if she’d been doing it all her life.

“Then we set sail from there,” he said. “We just just kept running, in a good rhythm, all the way to the finish. It was great fun, and a real thrill to be involved.”

Joe had gone briefly into the lead with Kathy Tansey’s 12-year-old mare, as the combination just before Mark, hitting just the gate at fence 12 and bellowed home by his uncle Michael and father Stephen.

“She never really got on the bridle well enough to be competitive, to keep up with Mark,” he said. “But she settled very well, and she’s such a genuine mare. I took the pedal off the gas, had an extra stride here and there and she got her confidence back. She had a little step back on the bank, which didn’t help but actually she felt more comfortable coming home and thankfully, I was quick enough to get second, so I’m absolutely delighted. Hopefully we’ll give it another spin next year.”

Jess, who came third last year with Hot Bluebird, said someone asked her for her prediction before the class.

“I said Mark will win it, Joe will be second, and if I do my best round, I might be third,” she said. “It’s Joe who got my horse going down banks as he’s got one and he’s let me practise both years – maybe he won’t let me next year!”

Mark was asked if he might return to try to beat Guy Williams’ 2015 course record time of 92.81 but said he may aim Royale Tale for the Derby itself next year.

“The way she went in the Derby trial yesterday, I think she would be really good at the Derby,” he said. “She should have gone clear but I mucked it up; we were tempted to put her in tomorrow and leave her for today, but maybe we made the right decision.”

Before the class, Jay Halim, who came sixth with Gentle, had also been asked for his predictions; he said Mark would win and “everyone else is battling for second”.

“I think everybody had that opinion,” Joe said. “His horses are going great; he’s the man to beat every time he goes in the ring at the moment, wherever he is.”

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