DOHA (Qatar): Scott Brash pulled off a mind-blowing feat of speed in the featured 1.55m competition at the magnificent Longines Arena at al Shaqab on Friday.
Brash warded off competition from eight riders in the jump-off to take the lion’s share of the 148.500 euros prize money.
Niels Bruynseels of Belgium who tackled the tricky 1.50/1.55m CSI5* class with power and precision finished second. Riding the bay mare Frenchy VDS they produced a clear just inside the time to take the first place in the jump-off but had to settle for the second overall.
The huge striding grey gelding Cheker ridden by Christian Kukuk of Germany threw caution to the wind, galloping to the fences looking for their first win of the season, but they couldn’t quite match the pace and had to settle for 3rd overall.
It was a blistering jump-off featuring eight of the world’s best horse and rider combinations and it all came down to precision and speed under the floodlights in breezy conditions in the Qatari capital. 35 combinations came forward to tackle the course ahead of the first LGCT Grand Prix of the season tomorrow where it will be all to play for as the best of the best battle it out for the first golden ticket to the LGCT Super Grand Prix at the GC Prague Playoffs.
Brash onboard his rapid 12-year-old stallion Hello Vincent saved the best to last and shaved just under a second off the time to claim victory in the feature class of the day.
“I knew it was fast but Vincent is so rideable it makes my life a lot easier. I just tried to be as quick and as tight as I could everywhere. I felt I got a bit stuck over the oxer but he is a very quick horse,” said Scott.
Super Saturday in Doha will also play host to Round 2 of the GCL team competition, in the first event for the teams to secure the all-important ranking places.
Valkenswaard United head to the second round in pole position, but with 5 teams on a clean sheet, the showdown will be intense.
