EDWINA Alexander scooped maximum points at the 11th leg of the 2009-10 Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping series in Vigo, Spain on Saturday night.
The showjumping superstar, from Glenhaven in NSW, rode her second string Grand Prix horse Cevo Socrates.
In the 11-horse jump-off, Alexander produced a classy, clean and confident round over the 1.60m course that was simply too good for the rest of the field.
Meanwhile her chestnut 15-year-old gelding showed the wisdom of his years.
This latest result, on top of Alexander's second place two weeks ago, has rocketed her into fourth place on the European series table with just two more qualifying legs remaining prior to the April World Final in Geneva.
Alexander said at a post-event press conference she used her head on Saturday.
"I woke up at 7am this morning and turned on YouTube to watch my round with Socrates in the Zurich Grand Prix where we won two years ago," she said.
"He's very different from my other horse Itot, and I don't always find him so easy to ride, but it reminded me just what I needed to do - and I think it worked!"
Runner-up was Switzerland's Beat Mandli.
Belgium's Judy-Ann Melchior picked up her first points of the season by finishing third on the bay mare Cha Cha Z.
It was a top-class line-up against the clock however, and it was never going to be an easy one to win.
Frenchman Patrice Deleveau set the pace riding Katchina Mail, but a mistake at the FEI Vertical fence four left the door open for those coming after him.
It was Judy-Ann Melchior who set the first real target as she brought the 10-year-old Cha Cha Z through the finish clear, although her time of 51.61 seconds looked beatable.
Mandli then snatched the advantage stopping the clock at 50.29 seconds.
Alexander and Cevo Socrates were foot-perfect all the way they were already up on time at the vital vertical number four and as they galloped through the finish in 48.75 seconds it was clear that this time would take some beating, with just the first three horses jumping clear against the clock.
"The last few World Cups were not good for me," Alexander said, as she praised her winning ride.
"Socrates has had a great career but he's been out for eight months and this was his first serious show back so I didn't know what to expect.
"He won the Zurich Grand Prix in 2008, and the Gothenburg Grand Prix in 2009 and was also third in Valkenswaard. He's an incredible horse, not a championship ride but incredibly clever and brave. I'm really thrilled with him tonight," she said, aware that she had more than comfortably qualified for the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping final in Geneva in April.
- The Weekly Times will talk to Alexander when she is in Australia next month.
