FORTY-FIFTH VICTORY FOR EMANUELE GAUDIANO AT THE MOROCCO ROYAL TOUR 2025

Showjumping, like all equestrian sports, is a story of partnerships: the horse-and-rider combination and the trust and connection that are built first through education and then through competition. Without that bond, victory is impossible. But today, we are also talking about a couple in life who have added to their tally of podium finishes with a double success in the Peugeot Prize, held just before the ANCFCC Prize, a qualifier for the Grand Prix won by Emanuele Gaudiano and Julius D.

What would a Morocco Royal Tour leg be without a Gaudiano win?

Already a winner in Tétouan with the same Julius.D, the Italian rider had “sat out” victory in Rabat (settling instead for second place) – only to return stronger and claim the ANCFCC Prize, which serves as a qualifier for the Grand Prix he already captured in 2023: “Julius jumped really well today,” said Gaudiano. "He had only competed in Tétouan previously, and last year he took a break from competing in Europe. Today he was fresh, and he jumped remarkably. It’s wonderful.”

It may be too soon to call Gaudiano and Julius.D a long-standing partnership, but they have still been together for four years. The Italian first rode the gelding, now 11 years old, when he was still considered a young horse, carefully bringing him up to this Grand Prix level: “He has already jumped two five-star Grands Prix, and he performed well. So yes, he is a very promising horse.”

Will we see him again on Sunday in the CSI4*-W Grand Prix of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, which Gaudiano won in 2023 with Nikolaj de Music? “Not necessarily. Tomorrow afternoon I’ll ride Nikolaj, and after that round I’ll decide which one I’ll take on Sunday.”

The Italian Carabinieri rider thus recorded his 45th career win on the Morocco Royal Tour.

Also noteworthy in this class: a fine 4th place for none other than Jérémy Le Roy...

Five wins… and a family double

The Peugeot Prize also delivered another memorable storyline: victory for Nathalie Mack, followed immediately by her partner in life and in the stables, Jérémy Le Roy, whose activity is largely devoted to producing young horses. Together, they will leave the 2025 Morocco Royal Tour with no fewer than five French anthems and three further podium finishe; and two days still to go. Their tally now includes this superb “family double”: “Yes, yet another great win to complete the successful run we’ve enjoyed these past three weeks, with so many French anthems played. We’ll leave here with stars in our eyes and above all, a fierce desire to return next year.”

Three weeks of happiness, it seems, where the only challenge—besides winning—was looking after little Juliette, just a few months old. A task shared between husband, wife and groom. With such lineage, it’s easy to imagine Juliette herself one day riding at the Morocco Royal Tour… though probably not before the 2045 edition!

CSI-1*: Youssef Salmeron is insatiable!

There is simply no stopping Youssef Salmeron and Quadina de Muze: after their victory in the only CSI1* class yesterday, the Moroccan rider and his Belgian mare triumphed once again this morning in the Prix Mazagan, a jump-off class. True to form, they left nothing to chance, winning the jump-off with more than a second in hand—precisely 1.39 seconds ahead of France’s Florent Jeannin with the black mare Ella du Lys. Morocco’s Mouad Bouya completed the podium aboard his Hanoverian gelding Chamberlian… more than three seconds behind the flying Salmeron.

The next class, the ONCF Prize, saw a Moroccan sweep of the podium. This time, however, Hicham Er-Radi, Salim Benssy and Abdelmoghit Adnas were all separated by less than a second. Even the fourth-placed rider, France’s Florent Jeannin, was only 0.72 seconds off the winner. Margins more akin to Formula 1!

PRIX MAZAGAN

CSI1* - 1.25m - Jump Off

1. Youssef Salmeron, MAR – Quadina de Muze 0-0/33.21
2. Florent Jeannin, FRA – Ella du Lys 0-0/34.60
3. Mouad Bouya, MAR – Chamberlian 0-0/36.30
4. Luiz Felipe Neto de Azevedo, BRA – Amara du Foret Z 0-0/36.42
5. Mel Thijssen, NED – Baloutot des Terdrix Z 0-0/37.69

PRIX ONCF

CSI1* - 1.35m - Special Two-Phase

1. Hicham Er-Radi, MAR – Ceika Malouine 0-0/24.66
2. Salim Benssy, MAR – Enjoy du Loc'H 0-0/25.29
3. Abdelmoghit Adnas, MAR – Shakaponk du Fleuve Z 0-0/25.32
4. Florent Jeannin, FRA – Chica de Bourguignon Z 0-0/25.38
5. Souleimane El Mandour, MAR – Kornel van de Renger 0-0/26.27

PRIX PEUGEOT

CSI4*-W - 1.40m - Two Phases

1. Nathalie Mack, FRA – Baccara de l'Aubepine 0-0/23.85
2. Jeremy Le Roy, FRA – Falkira de Mormoulins 0-0/23.97
3. Ramzy Al Duhami, KSA – High Quality J 0-0/25.93
4. Rhys Williams, IRL – Conthanja 0-0/26.04, 5)
5. Alexis Goulet, FRA – Global de Riverland 0-0/26.38

PRIX ANCFCC

CSI4*-W - 1.50m - Faults & Time/ bar A chrono - GP Qualif.

1. Emanuele Gaudiano, ITA – Julius.D 0/63.32
2. Joe Whitaker, GBR – Hulahupe JR 0/63.85
3. Charles Henri Ferme, FRA – Katmandu 0/66.45
4. Jeremy Le Roy, FRA – Glorious Cornet Hdr 0/67.02
5. Jane Annett, GBR – Impala 0/69.99

--ENDS--