Team Murka’s principal rider Peter Charles scored a double of victories at this year’s Hickstead Derby meeting (23-26 June 2011). He headed both the Bunn Leisure Derby Trial (24 June) with Murka’s Vindicat W and the Falcon Equine Feeds Derby Trophy with Murka’s Nevada V.

Peter belives Murka’s Vindicat has a big future ahead of him, and after the way he performed when winning the Derby Trial, he has every reason too.

“He’s really coming on and will make a top Grand Prix horse,” said Peter. “He’s only nine, so I didn’t jump him in the Derby on Sunday, but I think he’ll be a future winner of that class, too.”

Just five made the jump-off of the day’s biggest class and Peter was third in on the son of Guidam, chasing a target set by the reigning Derby winning combination, Guy Williams and Softtrack Skip Two Ramiro.

Watching
“I watched Guy go, so I knew where I had to be on the course,” said Peter, who pipped Guy by 0.18 seconds. “But it was really about jumping a clear in there rather than going overly quick. It was a big course.”

Murka’s Vindicat, who is owned by Team Murka founder Olga White, was originally bought through a sale at Addington Manor EC in Buckinghamshire.

Second win
Peter became the only double international class winner at this year’s Hickstead Derby meeting by taking the Falcon Equine Feeds Derby Trophy on Murka’s Nevada (25 June 2011).

Making an impossibly tight turn back to a vertical on Olga White’s 10-year-old stallion son of Rosire, enabled him to gain the advantage over Trevor Breen (Andino Z), the leader at the time. Peter finished three seconds faster than the Irishman and his target couldn’t be matched despite a strong challenge from William Funnell (Billy Angelo), who finished eventual second, towards the end of the jump-off.

Looking to 2012
“Murka’s Nevada is already looking a serious horse,” said Peter. “He jumped his first Nations Cups in La Baule and Rome this year and absolutely murdered the courses.

“I truly believe he could win a medal at next year’s Olympics. Together with Murka’s Pom d’Ami and Murka’s Vindicat, I’ve got three Olympic horses.”

Best to come
Despite his fast round, Peter was insistent that Murka’s Nevada still has a lot more to offer.

“I no where near had my foot to the metal with him today,” said Peter. “I was just cruising round.”

Both Murka’s Nevada and Vindicat will join Peter for the next Top Level FEI Nations Cup in Falsterbo, Sweden, in two weeks’ time.