Sport
Brash claims CSI5* feature at HH The Father Amir’s Prix
It was a double victory for the British rider, who also won the CSI3* 1.50m Grand Prix at Al Shaqab
Scott Brash produced a masterclass performance to clinch the CSI5* 1.60m Grand Prix at Tour 2 of the HH The Father Amir’s Prix at Al Shaqab yesterday. Nine horse-and-rider combinations progressed to the jump-off, where Brash guided the BWP gelding Hello Jefferson to victory. The British rider stopped the clock at 42.66 seconds to seal the title and collect €97,500.
Brash finished just ahead of France’s Megane Moissonnier, who clocked 42.78 seconds aboard the 14-year-old stallion Crooner Tame to claim second place and €65,000. American rider Eve Jobs completed the podium, piloting the 15-year-old Canto Bruno to third in 43.41 seconds, earning €48,750.
All five riders in the top group delivered faultless rounds in the jump-off. Thailand’s Janakabhorn Karunayadhaj narrowly missed out on a podium finish in fourth aboard Maxwin Kinmar Bespoke, while Monaco’s Anastasia Nielsen rounded out the top five with ESI Rocky.
"Hello Jefferson is an incredible horse,” Brash said. "He’s 17 now, but he still feels like a young horse. He loves his job, and he’s always jumped well here in Doha in the main arena.”
Brash had earlier enjoyed success in the CSI3* 1.50m Grand Prix, guiding Hello Chadora Lady to victory following a seven-horse jump-off. He edged out Belgium’s Abdel Said on Wathnan Calvaro to take home €31,800.
Germany’s Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann finished third with Iron Dames High Level.
Meanwhile, Britain’s Harry Charles claimed the CSI5* 1.50m Special Two-Phase class aboard Bandit. The pair produced a faultless round and stopped the clock at 35.10 seconds to secure top honours. Fellow Briton
Millie Allen followed closely in second place on Quick Diamant HR with another double-clear effort in 35.41, while Italy’s Roberto Previtali completed the podium on I’M Special Mess PS in 36.16.
Charles said: "Bandit is back at five-star level after nearly a year away, so starting with a win is fantastic. He has plenty more in the tank, and as the tour progresses, I hope to build him up to the bigger classes here in Doha.”
At the end of Tour 2, Brash has moved into the overall lead in the CSI4* and CSI5* provisional rankings with 89 points. Karunayadhaj sits second on 66 points, while Jobs has climbed to third on 62. Harry Charles and Anastasia Nielsen are tied on 59, with Moissonnier close behind on 55.
Qatari riders dominated the CSI1* Grand Prix 1.30m jump-off, with Hussain Said Haidan clinching top honours after producing a double-clear round aboard D Saucedo in 35.79 seconds. He finished ahead of compatriot Saad Ahmed al-Saad, who stopped the clock at 37.10 seconds on Fashion des Douits, while Nasser al-Ghazali completed an all-Qatari podium with a faultless round on Dexter in 37.11.
Italy’s Emanuele Gaudiano claimed victory in the CSI3* 1.40m accumulator, guiding Diarouge Blue PS to a winning score of 65 in 46.13 seconds. Turkiye’s Hasan Senturk settled for second on Elzas, also finishing on 65 but in a slightly slower time of 46.79 seconds, while Saudi Arabia’s Khalid al-Hadi placed third aboard Capoen in 48.34.
Gaudiano praised his mount’s consistency in the arena. "Diarouge Blue PS jumped very well today. She has already won three classes here, so I’m happy with how she’s feeling in this arena,” he said.
France’s Jean Francois Rondoux topped the CSI3* 1.30m faults and time class after steering Inter-Larus to a clear round in 69.13 seconds. Qatari rider Ghanim Nasser al-Qadi finished second on Mukaynis in 70.71, narrowly edging Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed Alasaker, who was third aboard Tinto de Nuit Z in 70.72.
In the CSI1* 1.15m accumulator, Qatar swept the podium, led by Ali Omar al-Ansari and Nikita Eindeken Z with a winning score of 65 in 43.13 seconds. Abdulla Ahmed al-Khulaifi followed on Quenta van de Corsendonksehoeve, while Abdulla Tamim al-Thani took third aboard Cassandra 352.
The CSIY-B and CSIY 1.30m jump-off Group VII series qualifier saw another Qatari success, as Ibrahim Yousuf al-Mahmoud emerged victorious on Vito Blue PS with a double-clear effort in 36.42 seconds. Saudi Arabia’s Meshal al-Qahtani placed second on Menke, while Yaqoub Nasser al-Mass finished third for Qatar aboard Hammond J.
In the national CSN 1.00m special two-phase class, Iraq’s Mariam Abdulkarim Sabri claimed the top spot on Baina after posting a double-clear round in 35.63 seconds. She was closely followed by Afraa Abdulrahman al-Sulaiti on Molga, with Salman Faisal al-Marri rounding out the podium aboard Goteborg Handyman.
In the overall CSI1* standings, Haidan extendd his lead to 40 points after topping both Tour 1 and Tour 2. Saad Ahmed al-Saad is second on 34 points, while Jordan’s Bisher Kayali is third on 19.