Charlotte Dujardin can now add World Equestrian Games gold to her list of major titles in dressage and her quick comparisons between ride Valegro and a Ferrari are more than justifiable.
A day after a stunning performance helped Britain win team dressage silver and book a place at the Rio 2016 Olympics, Dujardin collected Grand Prix Special gold to cap a dominant past two years.
The double Olympic champion from London 2012 and two-time European gold medallist from 2013 – all aboard Valegro – scored 86.120 per cent to become a world title holder for the first time.
That forced a German two-three with silver going to Helen Langehanenberg and bronze to Kristina Sprehe respectively and Dujardin and Valegro still have the Grand Prix Freestyle to come on Friday.
British teammate Carl Hester placed 12th and Michael Eilberg 13th and will both also go in the Grand Prix Freestyle and Dujardin was quick to liken Valegro to one a luxury sports car.
“I had so much fun. When you ride a horse like Valegro you have all that power, it’s like driving a Ferrari, you just put your foot down and he goes, it’s an amazing and very rare feeling,” she said.
“It was really hard with the crowd, all I could here was their gasping – whether you were doing good or bad, it was hard to focus on what I was doing but it was great to have them behind me.
“You don’t really experience it very often, I know I had it a bit at the Europeans last year and at Aachen, but you normally only hear the music, it was tough out there.
“He felt the best he’s ever felt; I know I made some mistakes but to have that power, especially after doing the Grand Prix yesterday I just felt delighted with him.”
© Sportsbeat 2014