TRIUMPHANT New Forest-owned horse Gamblers Fancy rocked the eventing world by winning the Windsor International Horse Trials.

The previously unknown newcomer was ridden to victory by Frenchman Franck Bourny at the CCi event.

Owner Sheila Texier has barely come down to earth after the 16.1 hh ten-year-old saw off the international competition and pushed New Zealand Olympic rider Andrew Nicholson into second place.

The three quarters thoroughbred, who is kept at Warborne Farm in Pilley near Lymington has become a celebrity with local people charmed by his Cinderella-type rise to fame.

After being stepped on by his mother as a foal, Gamblers Fancy was near-ly put down, but his Warwickshire breeders, Sue and Mick Gamble were determined to give the youngster a second chance.

"He had to be plastered, weaned and stabled for a year. It was a long shot, but Sue couldn't bear to have him destroyed," explained Texier.

The chestnut gelding was raised by people and developed an unusually close relationship with his two-legged friends.

When Texier came to Warwickshire to see the Gamble family she was impressed with the youngster.

"Sue said she felt he was something special. We saw his sire jump and we were sold. But we were warned that Fancy would be a late developer," said Texier.

Texier brought Gamblers Fancy to the New Forest as a six-year-old and he soon showed potential - though his dressage and show jumping needed work. By the end of last season, Fancy was tried out at the Weston Park event with Bermudan Mary Jane Tunbridge who had taken him on as a second ride.

His cross country performance was so phenomenal it took him from 66th to 20th place.

But this year the horse surpassed all expectations when he was partnered with 25-year-old Franck Bourny who worked with trainer Vicky Thompson and ran Fancy in three intermediates.

"Our biggest hope for Windsor was for him to finish in the top third," said Texier. "By Friday he was leading by 15 points in the dressage. I looked at the huge cross country course and thought he would be lucky to get over three. But he absolutely stormed round, coming 23 seconds within time.

"He came to the showjumping as fresh as a daisy and to our horror he threw a shoe just when Bourny need-ed time to calm him down. But amazingly, Fancy came out with a clear round and won the event."

The promising youngster has caused a stir in the event world and he will be run in Blenheim with hopes of making the French Olympic team with Bourny.

"We have been through so much with this horse, and when you consider we are just small people from the New Forest it is awe inspiring. We now need sponsorship to help us continue with Gamblers Fancy's promising career," said Texier.

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