Hellcat lets loose on Derby field

Eye Candy Jumpers’ Paul O’Shea and Hellcat took the lead by a hair’s breadth from McLain Ward and Catoki, to win the $32,000 FEI 3-star 1.45m  in week two of the Winter Equestrian Festival. McLain and the 15.2hh renowned ‘speed merchant’ 15-year old Westphalian stallion set the pace early in the field of 44 with a time of 68.48. 

“I didn’t see McLain go,” said Paul. “His horse has a short stride so I didn’t think to kind of look at his plan because he can add a stride and still be quicker than everyone.”

Catoki and McLain sat on their lead until Paul and Hellcat finished in 68.18 with four left to go. “He was super,” McLain’s show manager, Lee McKeever said of the diminutive Catoki.. “He was really good. He hadn’t been out in the field in a while and he was excited and he jumped really really well.”

Hellcat was also happy to be out on the grass. “She loves it,” said Paul. “The horses love it. They jump so well out here. Even after the rain the ground is just perfect. It’s as good a grass field as you can get anywhere in the world.”

Despite it being a speed class, Paul elected to take it slowly to the finish line. “The main thing for Hellcat is to slow down at the end because it’s happened quite a bit that we knock the last or the second last fence,” he said.  “So I’ve learned to take my time and wherever that leaves us then that leaves us.” Paul also finished fourth on Eye Candy Jumpers’ Spy.

Hellcat, a 13-year old bay Belgian Warmblood mare, returned to Paul’s string in December after a hiatus with Canada’s Jacqueline Steffens-Daly. She will be back in action on the Derby field on Saturday in the 1.50m Classic. “I’m glad to have her back in my string,” said Paul. “She’s a cool mare. When you jump her at home she’s got a lot of energy but when she’s in the ring she’s super, so we just try to keep it simple at home and save it for the ring.”