Harry Charles (GBR) concluded an incredible week at ExCel Arena with a win in Monday night's CSI5*-W 1.60m London Grand Prix aboard the 15-year-old gelding Borsato (Contendro I x Nijinski). The pair also won Friday’s CSI5*-W 1.55m Champagne-Taittinger Ivy Stakes, and on Sunday, Charles took the top honours in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup with the 11-year-old mare Stardust (Chacco-Blue x Con Air 7) – making it a show to remember for the only 22-year-old British talent.
"I don't know what is happening this week. I can't speak," Charles said in an interview after his Grand Prix win. "Yesterday, and now today the Grand Prix, on two different horses. I haven't been out of the top three the whole week and it's just amazing – I will never have a show like this again."
"It was not a great draw," the 22-year-old British talent said about being first to go in the nine-horse jump-off. "The horse, it's his third win in a row. His last three starts, he had three wins and he won here on Thursday, jumped again today and won me my first five-star Grand Prix."
It was a good night for the home riders, with reigning Olympic Champion Ben Maher (GBR) finishing in second place with the 10-year-old mare Ginger Blue (Plot Blue x Royal Bravour) as 0.41 seconds separated him from Charles in the jump-off. Third place went to Edward Levy (FRA) and Rebeca LS (HH Rebozo x Cassini I), that were 0.77 seconds behind the winning time. Harrie Smolders (NED) and Dolinn N.O.P. (Cardento x Lux) finished fourth with the last double clear of the class, while Edouard Schmitz (SUI) took fifth with Gamin van't Naasterveldhof (Chacco Chacco x Toulon) with four faults in the jump-off.