Daniel Deusser (GER) won the biggest class of the day as the Longines Masters of Hong Kong got underway on Friday. The German rider proved great form ahead of Sunday's Grand Slam Grand Prix, where he will compete for the Indoor Grand Slam Super Bonus as the winner of the Longines Grand Prix in Paris back in December. 

After an entertaining day of competition, the main event of day one of the Longines Masters of Hong Kong certainly didn't disappoint, with Deusser and his top star Cornet D'Amour (Cornet Obolensky x Damiani) winning the CSI5* 1.50m Hong Kong Jockey Club Trophy. Presented by Founding Partner the Hong Kong Jockey Club, the Masters One event had a prize purse of US$84,000, with a first round featuring a field of 22 riders then brought down to ten to compete in the winning round over a shorter course. 

Deusser not only went clear in both rounds, but also set the fastest times in both, clocking 71.85 seconds first time out, and then 38.73 seconds to take the victory by a margin of more than two seconds. He was characteristically modest about his win. "To be honest I was a little bit lucky to be fastest in the first round today," he said. "And my jump-off wasn't that smooth either, but the horse was really good today." 

Deusser finished ahead of second-placed Jérôme Guery (BEL) on Garfield de Tiji des Templiers (Quasimodo Z x Goldspring de Lauzelle), and third-placed Robert Smith (GBR) on Ilton (Dulf van den Bisschop x Calvaro). Deusser loves competing in Hong Kong, having racked up an incredible four victories out of six in the inaugural 2013 event. 

The Masters One AsiaWorld-Expo 1.45m class saw Emanuele Gaudiano (ITA) eventually riding to victory aboard Einstein (Clinton x Nimmerdor), clocking a time of 61.55 seconds. "Einstein has no experience at 5* events," said Gaudiano of his highly-committed performance on the nine-year-old grey gelding. "For him it's difficult to win the other classes, so I really pushed him in this one. This is the fourth year for me here in Hong Kong. I really enjoy this show, and I really hope I can ride in New York too." Coming in second in a field of 19 competitors was early leader Jane Richard Philips (SUI), while third place was claimed by Gerco Schröder (NED). 

Source: Press release from R&B Presse // Picture © Christophe Tanière for EEM