A dazzling performance by Morocco’s Abdelkebir Ouaddar and 11 year old stallion Quickly de Kreisker (Diamant de Semilly x Laudanum), gave the popular pair the win in the CSI5* 1.55 class at the CHI Al Shaqab on Thursday. The Moroccan, currently fourth in the Arabian League and the winner of two competitions in Dubai recently, sent a warning to his fellow riders on Wednesday when he recorded the third fastest time in the opening CSI5* class - but he was unlucky to hit the fence and eventually ended up 21st.

On Thursday, fate repaid him with a generous gift, when the French-born Quickly de Kreisker, owned by the Moroccan royal family, really hit hard fence seven - but the rail stayed in its place and allowed Ouaddar to enjoy his unprecedented triumph. Quickly justified his name and sprinted to an astonishing 39.70 clocking.

World’s no. 1 rider and horse Scott Brash and Hello Sanctos (Quasimodo v. Molendreef x Nabab de Reve) came almost one and a half minutes short (41.21) of Ouaddar’s time, and had to settle for second place, in what was Brash’s first serious ride in Doha. Third was Germany’s Daniel Deusser, the CSI5* against the clock – 1m50 winner on Wednesday with a time of 41.36. The German rode Cornet D’ Amour (Cornet Obolensky x Damiani), and edged out Briton Michael Whitaker and Amai (Nonstop x Bacara), who were in the lead for most of the final tie-breaker round.

 “I know I have a very fast horse. So I could take all the risk. But I am still very happy now that I could win against the best. To beat Scott Brash is a special feeling,” Ouaddar said after his win. On the oxer at fence seven nearly falling, he said: “I saw that it was little bit tight. But I knew everything would be alright because I have total confidence in my horse.”

“Nobody could have beaten him today. He has had a fantastic round. I did not even try to get him,” Brash said about Ouaddar’s rounds.

In the 1.45 speed class, Britain’s Laura Renwick made amends for a Wednesday narrow miss by topping the CSI5* Speed and Handiness jumping competition. Renwick and Rembrandt Blue (Mr. Blue x Super de Bourriere) looked extremely fast from the beginning and completed a flawless round in 57.12, to become the first female winner at this year’s CHI Al Shaqab. Emanuele Gaudiano on French Coffee (Vancouver D’auvray x Caesar van de Helle) ended second, and Olivier Philippaerts on Carlito C (Kannan x Romeo) third.

Source: Press release from CHI Al Shaqab