Conor Swail’s Lucky Day in the Desert
The only thing better than a one-two finish at DIHP is TWO one-two finishes in the same day. That’s precisely what Conor Swail (IRL) did on Thursday of Desert Circuit 7, presented by TALUS.
In the biggest class of the day, the $32,000 Brookway Stables CSI3* 1.50m Speed, Casturano was the winning ride, and his brother Count Me In was close behind by about one-tenth of a second. The next biggest class of the day, the $25,000 FarmVet 1.45m Open Classic, put Swail in first and second as well, aboard Gamble and Vital Chance de la Roque, respectively.
Conor Swail (IRL) and Casturano. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
“It was a super day for me today,” Swail reflected on a great day in the office. “I’m very pleased with Gamble and [Vital Chance] so it was off to a good start. Then in the FEI 1.50m, [Count Me In] was himself, and I must say he jumped around beautifully. I was very early to go with him. It could’ve been a little smoother here and there, and I could’ve done a little better job maybe. With Casturano, or ‘Stan’ as I call him, at that stage I knew what I had to do and knew all the numbers, and everything came up very well for me. I thought he was terrific.”
The only other pair on the podium was Oliver Lazarus (RSA) and Miss Paris, a pair that has come close to a win but hasn’t quite gotten the top spot yet.
Casturano, an 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Castelan 3 x Canturo), has seen tremendous growth in just one year. Twelve months ago, Swail debuted the horse in the lower levels, and now he’s jumping – and even winning – CSI5* action.
“This is where I started riding him actually,” Swail continued. “I started here last year and I started doing the 1.35m and 1.40m classes with him and he’s developed into an absolutely wonderful horse. I got him from Sam Buirs (CAN); she had done a beautiful job on him. She got him up to FEI level and jumped in the three star Grand Prixs and then when I got him I grew from there with him.”
Read more:
Conor Swail’s Lucky Day in the Desert | Desert International Horse Park (deserthorsepark.com)
