Christine Bates & Adelaide Hill Win Saddleworld Melbourne CCI3*

By: Michelle Cook/EA

Christine Bates and Adelaide Hill (photo: Geoff McLean goneridingmedia.com.au)

16 years since she last won the title, New South Wales rider Christine Bates has won the Saddleworld Melbourne International CCI3* at Werribee Park today. 

The Rio 2016 Olympic Games candidate, who will turn 40 later this year, last won the title when she was aged 23 on a horse called Masterprint.

This time around she partnered with Adelaide Hill – a horse which she hopes might carry her to her first Olympic Games.

"This is certainly a step in the right direction. Like every other elite rider you can make plans and it doesn't always happen but we will keep chipping away," Bates said.

"The goal was to come here and win and we have," she said.

Bates was strong in all three phases producing clear cross country and showjumping rounds to finish on her dressage score of 48.60.

In today's show jumping, Bates had to work for her clear round.

"I knew when I first jumped on him that he was feeling pretty electric. The only upside of that is when he's like that I know he's being very careful but he's not so easy to ride between fences.

"He tried really hard, I don't think it was the prettiest round but we left all the rails up."

2013 winner of the Melbourne CCI3*, Katja Weimann finished second with her horse BP

Flamboyant after she too produced a clear show jumping round. Weimann moved from fifth position after the dressage with consistent cross country and show jumping rounds delivered her a final score of 54.70.

Sydney Olympic gold medallist Stuart Tinney and his horse War Hawk cleared all but the last rail in today's show jumping to finish third with a score of 58.40.

For Bates and the rest of the Australian based Olympic eventing hopefuls, the next major focus will be the Australian International Three Day Event in Adelaide in November.

"Hopefully we'll be doing a repeat," Bates said.

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