With British rider Ben Maher having already sealed the title, the Global Champions Tour finals at Al Shaqab will see intense battle for the runner-up position. Seven riders are still in contention to finish behind Maher, who, with 284 points from 15 rounds, has taken an unassailable lead and will be crowned as new champion on Saturday. 
Alberto Zorzi is currently second with 237 points, but the Italian has just a four-point lead over last year’s overall champion Harrie Smolders of the Netherlands. But what makes it interesting is the fact that just 28 points separate Zorzi and eighth-placed Christian Ahlmann of Germany. And with 40 points for a win at Al Shaqab, the battle for second place can swing many ways. 
Germany’s Daniel Deusser at fourth place has 233 points, while Briton Scott Brash holds fifth spot with a tally of 225. Two-time GCT Grand Prix winner Nicola Philippaerts of Belgium sits in sixth with 219 and two-time GCT title holder Edwina Tops-Alexander of Australia is on 212 overall.
Smolders said he was eager to finish on the podium this weekend, with the Dutchman needing to finish in the top 15. He will partner 14–year-old Stallion Don VHP Z N.O.P., and the two have history of producing top performance together. 
 The pair won in Hamburg and finished third in Paris.  “It all comes down to Doha. If I look at the scores at the moment, it is very, very close from second to eighth place, with any of those riders able to finish on the podium. I definitely want to take my chances,” Smolders said. 
Tops-Alexander is facing a must-win situation to finish third in the overall championship. The Australian, is a regular to Doha, and will fancy her chances. Tops-Alexander will be astride California and Inca Boy van T Vianahof as she goes all out for a win. 
Doha will also provide the last chance for individual riders to qualify for the GCT Super Grand Prix at the Playoffs in Prague in December. And the top 16 teams in the final overall ranking after Doha will go also through to the Global Champions League Super Cup at the Playoffs. 
For local fans, they will be eager to see another home rider emerge triumphant. Last year, Bassem Hassan Mohamed thrilled the crowd by becoming the first Qatar rider to taste a GCT Grand Prix win at Al Shaqab. While Bassem will be going for an encore, there are hopes that his compatriot Sheikh Ali bin Khalid al-Thani will stand on top of the podium of this time. 
Sheikh Ali, who earlier this year won silver at the Asian Games in Jakarta, said it will be a big test for him as he pairs up with an inexperienced horse. “I will be riding a young horse, which does not have much experience. But it has lot of potential, and we won the bronze at the Asian Games. I hope that I can produce a top quality performance here. We have been working hard with it in the last few weeks, so we will see how it goes. It will be a big test for us,” he said. 
Doha Fursan Qatar has qualified for the GCL Super Cup at the Playoffs and Sheikh Ali was proud of the achievement and was hoping for a podium finish at his home event. “We did our best and we could also do better but in another way we are happy that we have at least qualified for the final in Prague which was the ambition for us this year and we are looking to have a podium in Doha this year,” he said. 
Al Shaqab will also play host to the finals of the team competition – Global Champions League, which is set for a fascinating climax to the season. 
Only 16 out of 19 teams can qualify for the new GC Playoffs in Prague in December and the top four teams will be fast-tracked to the semi-finals of the GC Playoffs.  There are two teams in contention to win the trophy - London Knights on 323 points and Valkenswaard United on 300 points. Both teams have been locked in thrilling combat at 15 events this season and the battle is set to go down the wire in Doha.
Another great contest will unfold between the teams currently in 3rd, 4th and 5th places on the ranking. Miami Celtics on 244 points are only nine points ahead of Rome Gladiators and they are only one point in front of Shanghai Swans. These highly competitive teams are fielding their star performers to ensure they finish in the top 4 to go into the GC Playoffs. 
Further down the ranking 6th place Montreal Diamonds, 7th place Scandinavian Vikings and 8th place St Tropez Pirates will be aiming for a podium spot to have a last chance to move up into the top 4.
Meanwhile, the third leg of the Hathab National Equestrian series will also be held simultaneously with the GCT tomorrow and on Saturday. A brainchild of HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, Hathab was a runaway success in its inaugural season. 
The series – worth QR1mn in overall prize money – provides an opportunity for young riders from Qatar to gain experience and test themselves against other best talents in the country over a gruelling 12 legs, which is spread over six months.
Global Champions Tour schedule 
Today: 2:45pm: CSI 5* Two phases 1.45m (€25.000); 5:45pm: CSI 5* GCL of Doha Round 1 - 1.50/1.55m (€60.000 to individual class winners)
Tomorrow: 4:30pm: CSI 5* Against-the-clock 1.45m (€50.000); 6:30pm: CSI 5* Against-the-clock with jump-off 1.50/1.55m (€145.000)
On Saturday: 2:30pm: CSI 5* GCL of Doha Round 2 - 1.55/1.60m (€95.000 to individual class winners); 5:45pm: CSI 5* Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Doha - 1.60m (€375.000)
Hathab schedule 
Tomorrow:  9am: Against the clock NO Jump Off 1.00/1.15m; 2pm: Against the clock WITH Jump Off 1.20/1.30m
Saturday: 9am: Against the clock NO Jump Off 1.15/1.25m; 11:50am: Against the clock with Jump Off 1.30/1.45m