On a night when nerves were truly tested by the close confines of the arena, the pure class of the 2012 Olympic individual and team gold medallists shone through as Britain's Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro topped the fifth leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage series at Olympia in London. The Grand Hall at this prestigious venue is aptly named, but it is a very snug fit for the dressage ring at the Christmas fixture which attracts packed houses throughout a hectic week of great sport.

As Dujardin pointed out, "at the Olympics there were 24,000 spectators watching, but they were a long way away. Here tonight it was very different, they were so close you could hear them breathing!", she said after claiming pole position with a score of 87.950.

Runner-up with a mark of 80.075 was double FEI World Cup™ Dressage champion Isabell Werth from Germany whose performance with the 11-year-old Don Johnson FRH left her well pleased. And it was Dujardin's trainer and mentor, Carl Hester, who lined up third with a score of 79.900. It was an emotional night for the Briton who shared the top step of the team podium at London 2012 with his 26 year old pupil, because Hester was riding Utopia for the very last time. "He'll be sold in the new year", the rider confirmed tonight.

свернуть