First reserve O’Connor refuses to give up hope
The 32-year-old is first reserve on a three-day total of 20 faults, along with two other riders, and is remaining on standby in case any horse fails to make it past tomorrow’s pre-competition inspection.
“There is a trot up on Wednesday morning of the top 35 and five reserve horses to assess their soundness and there is a possibility a horse may not pass this.
“You have to remember there have been three days of hard jumping. I and two other riders are first reserve and you just never know. As a result, I have to treat it that I will be in the final. I have to plan accordingly and make sure I am prepared,” said O’Connor yesterday.
The Meath-based rider had posted eight faults on Sunday with Blue Loyd and correctly speculated that a similar score yesterday just might be good enough to put him through.
Third into the arena, he was greeted by a roar, before raising a ripple of applause when becoming the first to clear the water. However, having opened up Blue Loyd, he did not have time to rein back and paid the price at the next obstacle. The pair then got to grips with Bob Ellis’s punishing course, until the gelding rolled the third last and penultimate with his hind legs to bring the tally to 12 faults.
“My horse is just getting used to this level and three days jumping in a row is difficult. It is certainly a big test, but if we make it to the final, we all start on zero and I am still optimistic, as I feel we can still deliver on the big occasion,” said O’Connor.
“If not though, we have Dublin Horse Show to look forward to next week,” said O’Connor, who added that he was heartened by the tremendous support he had received all week.
Yesterday’s contest also saw Britain claim their first Olympic title in 60 years, beating the Netherlands in a jump-off after both finished tied.
All four team members, Nick Skelton, Ben Maher, Scott Brash and Peter Charles, returned to the Greenwich Park arena in front of a capacity 23,000 crowd. Clears from Skelton on Big Star and Maher on Tripple X III put the host country on track for gold.
Liverpudlian Charles, who started out his career riding for Britain, but changed allegiance and helped Ireland to a European title, before reverting to the land of his birth, sealed the result with a clear on Vindicat, as the Dutch cracked under the pressure.
Skelton, who broke his neck in 2000 and briefly retired, is eyeing a second gold tomorrow and said: “One’s good. Absolutely brilliant. Great for the country, great for our sport. It’s taken all these years.”
Saudi Arabia clinched bronze, and included on the team was Abdullah Waleed Sharbatly, who was one of two from the country initially banned this year for eight months and destined to miss the Olympics, only for the Court of Arbitration for Sport to uphold their appeals in June.
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