Equestrianism Whitakers take treble chance

Equestrianism

GENEVIEVE MURPHY

reports from Hickstead

John Whitaker looked in a different class to the opposition when he scored a double during yesterday's opening day of the Silk Cut Derby meeting. For good measure his 15-year-old daughter, Louise, won the Young Riders' 21-and-under class on Everest Gammon, who will be one of John's two mounts in the Derby on Sunday.

The first of John Whitaker's two victories was achieved on Everest Welham, who jumped two clear rounds for the winning British team in the Nations Cup here in May. Keeley Durham's 15-year-old horse did not need to hurry unduly to finish 2.28sec ahead of Mennell Watson on Uptons LB.

Whitaker completed his double on Roddy's Revenge in the Silk Cut Challenge, which he won by a convincing margin of 5.17sec from Ireland's Keith Doyle on Washington Park.

Results, Sporting Digest, page 25