November 4, 2022 
Conor Swail rolled the dice with Gamble in the Banorte CSI5* 1.45m Speed at Major League Show Jumping (MLSJ) Monterrey on Friday.
But you could say the odds were already stacked in their favor.
The 11-year-old gelding is a consistent contender for the world number five ranked rider, boasting a 34% clear round and 48% top 10 finish rate in 41 completed rounds at the 1.50m height, according to JUMPR App. Their clear round rate at 1.45m climbs one percent to 35%.
But on Friday, the pair were in a league of their own.
Topping a 42-deep field, Swail and Gamble stopped the clock in the Anthony Ambrosia designed course over five seconds faster than runners up Mimi Gochman (USA) and Cosmos BH (61.42 seconds versus 66.67). Lugano Diamonds Erynn Ballard (CAN) and Gakhir took third in 66.94.
“[The jump off] went very smoothly, actually,” said Swail.
“It was one of those rounds where I hardly touched the reins at all. Everything came up just like so well…if I had to do it a hundred times, I don’t think I could do any better, to be honest. The horse was terrific.”
For Swail and his partner of four years, it was par for the course.
“Gamble, for me, he’s a great horse always. He always gives his best. He’s not the fastest horse that I have. He’s got a big step and it can be slow and in tighter arenas it’s very, very difficult to beat the smaller, faster horses. But what I love about him is he gives his best every single time. And we have a lot of fun together.”
The pair also win a lot together.
Swail and Gamble collected eight top 10 finishes at Spruce Masters this past summer, including three second place ribbons in 5* classes. This week at CSI5* MLSJ Monterrey, they’ve logged two-one finishes in two appearances. Swail credits their consistent results to the choice in venue.
“A big arena where I can use a stride normally helps.”
This Sunday, he’ll aim for a three-peat podium finish with Gamble in the MLSJ Team Event. Competing for Eye Candy, the team currently tied for second with Spy Coast Spies in the league standings, he and countrymen Paul O’Shea and Richie Moloney (IRL) will attempt to close the gap on Helios’s 12 point lead.
“We’ll give [Gamble] tomorrow to freshen up and I hope we have a similar result [on Sunday],” said Swail. “We’re on the right track so far.”
Tune in for all the action at MLSJ Monterrey I on MLSJ TV.
