Equ: Hoy's victory relies on hard-working horse

AAP General News (Australia)
08-14-2004
Equ: Hoy's victory relies on hard-working horse

By Jordan Baker

ATHENS, Aug 14 AAP - Equestrian Andrew Hoy compares his horse Mr Pracatan to marathon
great Robert de Castella.

He may not be the most athletic-looking competitor in the field but he always puts
in 110 per cent.

Hoy said Mr Pracatan was not as elegant and charismatic as Darien Powers, the horse
that helped him to victory in Sydney.

"I would describe my horse as very similar to Robert de Castella," Hoy told reporters.

"When you see Robert run you wouldn't say that he was the most athletic-looking person
running in the marathon.

"But he was a doer and he was really good in the way that his desire to achieve was there.

"No way three years ago would I ever have said that this was going to be the horse
I would be taking to Athens.

"He just keeps on surprising me all the time, he just keeps on pushing 110 per cent."

Hoy, who is aiming to ride into the record books with a fourth consecutive gold medal
in the three-day team event, said the partnership between horse and rider was about 60-40.

"It varies between 60 per cent rider and 40 per cent horse," he said.

"I know that (Mr Pracatan is) going to put in 110 per cent and I know I will have to
as well and I can see that being very achievable because I am mentally prepared."

Australia is not the favourite to win; the forerunners are the British, although France
and the United States are also strong contenders.

"We did not go into the last three Olympics as the favourites either," Hoy said.

"For me to win gold I'm going to have to produce a personal best and all the other
team members are going to have to produce a personal best as well."

Hoy's team mate Olivia Bunn described the Athenian Equestrian facility as second to none.

The three-day team event begins on Sunday with the dressage competition.

AAP jb/nh

KEYWORD: OLY EQN AUST

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