As the sun dipped behind the superyachts in Port Hercule, Maikel van der Vleuten and the ever-reliable Beauville Z N.O.P. delivered a showstopping performance to win the CSI5* 1.50m Prix Fédération Équestre de la Principauté de Monaco, on the second day of the Longines Global Champions Tour of Monaco.

Set under the floodlights in the most compact arena on the calendar, the competition unfolded over two rounds - a demanding first round followed by a nail-biting jump-off. Out of a field stacked with world-class talent, van der Vleuten and his 15-year-old gelding rose to the occasion, producing a sensational double clear in 32.22 seconds to top the leaderboard.

The Dutch star beamed after his win talking to GCTV: “Beauville was fantastic again tonight. It was a very technical course in a difficult arena - the fences are so close you have to be aware as they come up too quickly, and the horses need to help you in some situations. I think I did one less stride between one and two compared to everyone else, and he found the rollbacks super easy, so I didn’t have to push too hard.”

Alexa Ferrer and the elegant Vitalhorse Fleur d’Oz put in a stylish performance to finish second with a time of 33.50 seconds, while Max Kühner-who set the early pace as first to go-secured third aboard EIC Up Too Jacco Blue with a tidy 33.91 seconds.

While the jump-off field was fierce, the course designed by Uliano Vezzani proved unforgiving. Julien Epaillard looked set to challenge the top time but had the final rail down in an otherwise blistering round. Pieter Devos, Kendra Claricia Brinkop, and Lorenzo de Luca also incurred costly penalties despite fast times, keeping them off the podium.

Meanwhile, Jérôme Guery took bold risks early on with the ultra-consistent Careca LS Elite, but lowered two poles, the first falling early through the green combination, taking him out of contention. Giacomo Casadei struggled with rhythm and control, ultimately collecting 13 faults in a tough outing.

Top 6 Results – CSI5* 1.50m Prix Fédération Équestre de la Principauté de Monaco

1. Maikel van der Vleuten & Beauville Z N.O.P. – 0 | 32.22 se
2. Alexa Ferrer & Vitalhorse Fleur d'Oz – 0 | 33.50 se
3. Max Kühner & EIC Up Too Jacco Blue – 0 | 33.91 se
4. Julien Épaillard & Fringan de Vesquerie – 4 | 32.42 sec
5. Pieter Devos & Jarina J – 4 | 33.54 se
6. Kendra Claricia Brinkop & Naf Naf DMC – 4 | 34.37 sec

The atmosphere was electric on Monaco’s glittering waterfront, as crowds packed into the grandstands to witness world-class sport against the stunning backdrop of the Mediterranean Sea.

FULL RESULTS