Monaco and Spruce Meadows Preview: Who to Watch This Saturday
The Longines Global Champions Tour rolls into Monte Carlo for the Grand Prix du Prince de Monaco, while Spruce Meadows in Calgary stages the ATCO Queen Elizabeth II Cup at 1.60m.
Two Saturdays, two five-star Grand Prix, one weekend of jumping. The Longines Global Champions Tour rolls into Monte Carlo for the Grand Prix du Prince de Monaco, while Spruce Meadows in Calgary stages the ATCO Queen Elizabeth II Cup both at 1.60m. Both fields have riders who have already banked multiple wins and podiums this year, and both classes will come down to who handles the pressure of a championship track when it matters.
All Elo, win, podium and clear rate figures below cover the last 12 months at CSI5* 1.60m, major championship level.
Monaco carries the stronger overall field on the numbers, but Spruce Meadows has the single sharpest form horse of the weekend at either venue.
Monaco: The Leaders by Elo
Monaco's field carries an average top 25 Elo of 715 over the last 12 months, one of the strongest on the calendar. Maikel van der Vleuten's Beauville Z N.O.P. tops the Elo ratings outright, with Scott Brash and Max Kühner filling three of the next four places.
| Horse | Rider | Elo | Wins | Podiums |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beauville Z N.O.P. | Maikel van der Vleuten | 767 | 0 | 1 |
| Hello Chadora Lady | Scott Brash | 765 | 3 | 4 |
| EIC Up Too Jacco Blue | Max Kühner | 759 | 3 | 4 |
| Hello Folie | Scott Brash | 753 | 1 | 3 |
| Zuccero HV | Maximilian Weishaupt | 743 | 1 | 1 |
Who to look for in Monaco
Beauville Z N.O.P. carries the highest Elo in the field at 767, built on the strength of the opposition Maikel van der Vleuten has faced rather than a heavy win tally, with just one podium and no wins over the sample. The riders with the stronger recent record sit just behind him. Scott Brash brings two of the field's top five rated horses. Hello Chadora Lady leads that group with three wins and four podiums in the last 12 months, and Hello Folie has added a further three podiums of her own. Max Kühner matches that strike rate with EIC Up Too Jacco Blue, who carries the best clear rate among the leaders.
EIC Up Too Jacco Blue, Max Kühner
Also watch Denis Lynch and Cordial, who have found the podium five times in the last 12 months, and Piergiorgio Bucci's Pallieter VD N.Ranch, on the podium in three of his last five appearances.
Spruce Meadows: The Leaders by Elo
Spruce Meadows runs slightly softer than Monaco, with an average top 25 Elo of 691, but the entry is headed by the sharpest form line of either five-star this weekend.
| Horse | Rider | Elo | Wins | Podiums |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landon De Nyze | Mark Bluman | 745 | 1 | 2 |
| Gangster Montdesir | Richard Vogel | 740 | 3 | 6 |
| Corbie V.V. | Daniel Bluman | 737 | 1 | 3 |
| Casturano | Conor Swail | 712 | 1 | 3 |
| Kayenne Z | Kyle King | 656 | 1 | 3 |
Who to look for at Spruce Meadows
Richard Vogel and Gangster Montdesir head into the ATCO Queen Elizabeth II Cup as the form pick of either five-star. Three wins and six podiums from 13 rounds, a 77% clear rate, and that plus 6.99 CAS make this the standout profile of the weekend.
Gangster Montdesir, Richard Vogel
Daniel Bluman's Corbie V.V. and Conor Swail's Casturano both arrive in podium form and are the sharpest challengers if Vogel has any trouble at the top of the order. Mark Bluman also lines up on Landon De Nyze, the highest rated horse in the field at 745, with a win and two podiums of his own this year.
The form book in Monaco says Brash with two rides inside the top four by Elo. At Spruce Meadows the form book says Vogel, with the best win, podium and clear rate line of the weekend. Both are settled on Saturday. Who is on your podium?