Robin van Thillo Claims his Finest victory in the Grand Prix of the Touquet Classic CSI 3*

Touquet Paris-Plage – May 10, 2026 – Belgium’s Robin van Thillo (BEL) claimed the finest success of his career this afternoon in the €56,800 Grand Prix of the City of Touquet Paris-Plage CSI 3*, organised by the Grand Prix Events team. In this 1.55m class, the pair he forms with My Jewel’s Magic Touch got the better of Nina Mallevaey (FRA), a brilliant runner-up with her outstanding Destine To Be. Riding Do It Easy, Ireland’s Tom Wachman (IRL) completed the top three.

Having won the Grand Prix of the CSI 3* du Touquet Classic a year ago, France’s Nina Mallevaey (FRA) came very close to a back-to-back today. In the headline class of the superb CSI 3* organised by the Grand Prix Events team, the rider from northern France and her brilliant Destine To Be eventually had to bow to Belgium’s Robin van Thillo (BEL), who produced a superb jump-off with My Jewel’s Magic Touch – a pair already sixth in the Grand Prix of the CSI 3* du Compiègne Classic.

“I’m very happy with this victory,” said Robin van Thillo. “My Jewel’s is a very good horse and he was once ridden by Rodrigo Pessoa, who was very fond of him. In the jump-off, I tried everything and told myself it was all or nothing. In the end, we won!”

“Destine To Be can go much faster”, Nina Mallevaey (FRA)
It is fair to say that the Le Touquet crowd could count on the stars present this weekend in the jump-off. Alongside Nina Mallevaey (FRA), Germany’s Marcus Ehning (GER) and Daniel Deusser (GER) took part with Priam du Roset and Devino van’t Langeveld. Friday’s feature winner, Pedro Junqueira Muylaert (BRA), also made it to the jump-off with Captain Ciwano.

After producing a superb first round, France’s Pénélope Leprevost (FRA) likewise reached the jump-off with the eleven-year-old Fair Play Margot. Although he had produced a brilliant clear round in the first round, the United States’ Karl Cook (USA) – yesterday’s winner of the Saturday Grand Prix presented by Range Rover with Candy – ultimately chose not to start in the jump-off with the unrivalled Caracole de la Roque, no doubt – or so we hope – in order to spare the Selle Français Zandor daughter for the CSI 5* in Aachen, to be held in two weeks’ time, and for the World Championships scheduled there in August.

At the start of the jump-off, Belgium’s Constant van Paesschen (BEL) was the first to repeat his first-round score. Riding Unaki de Bornival, the nine-year-old who was campaigned until the end of last year by Belgian rider Marine Scauflaire, he stopped the clock in 40.20 seconds and ultimately finished fifth. The United Arab Emirates’ Humaid Abdulla Khalifa Al Muhairi (UAE) then trimmed eleven hundredths off that time aboard Foncetti van de Heffinck.

Finally, third to deliver a double clear, the winner of the class stopped the clock in 38.96 seconds, after taking almost reckless risks to clear the final oxer in the colours of the City of Le Touquet-Paris-Plage – a time none of his pursuers was able to beat.

Ireland’s Tom Wachman (IRL), on Do It Easy, stopped the clock in 39.59 seconds to take provisional second place. Last to enter the main arena of the Parc équestre du Touquet-Paris-Plage, the world No 6 was unable to go any faster and slotted into second place in 39.40 seconds.

“Destine To Be can be much faster than what we showed today,” Nina Mallevaey said after the prize-giving, before adding: “This second place is really lovely for him. I think we’ll soon manage to be quicker, especially as he is a great horse with many qualities. He is bursting with energy, and I simply have to take the time not to rush things with him.”

With this final day held in front of a loyal crowd despite the weather, the CSI 3* The Touquet Classic closes a 2026 edition marked by a particularly strong field, by sporting and city-centre highlights alike, and by a renewed sign of Le Touquet-Paris-Plage’s attachment to its equestrian rendezvous.

Final Results – €56,800 Grand Prix of the City of Touquet Paris-Plage CSI 3*

1) Robin van Thillo (BEL) & My Jewel’s Magic Touch – 0 / 0 – 38.96

2) Nina Mallevaey (FRA) & Destine To Be – 0 / 0 – 39.40

3) Tom Wachman (IRL) & Do It Easy – 0 / 0 – 39.59

Source: Press Release from Grand Prix Events

Photos: © Grand Prix Events / Clem. Media

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