Ireland's Richard Howley and the 9-year-old gelding Zodiak du Buisson Z (VDL Zirocco Blue x Dutch Capitol Z) won Thursday's CSI5* 1.50m as the 2024-edition of CHI Al Shaqab in Doha, Qatar, got underway. 

With a time of 62.73 seconds, Howley topped a field of 41 horse-and-rider-combinations in the 1.50m competition against the clock counting for the Longines Ranking Group B. Simon Delestre (FRA) and Dexter Fontenis Z (Diarado x Voltaire Pref) took the runner-up spot in 63.55, while Mark McAuley (IRL) and GRS Lady Amaro (Amaretto d'Arco x Over the River) placed third with a time of 63.71. Max Kühner (AUT) and EIC Julius Caesar (Couleur Rubin x Cancara) finished fourth, while Christian Ahlmann (GER) and Otterongo Alpha Z (Darco x Hedjaz) placed fifth. 

The second CSI5* class of the day, a 1.45m in two phases counting for the Longines Ranking Group D went to Abdullah Alsharbatly (KSA) and Dancing Wolf O.L (Mylord Carthago x Contender) ahead of Eduardo Alvarez Aznar (ESP) and D'Orient Batilly (Numero Uno x Quaprice Boimargot Quincy) in second and Olivier Perreau (FRA) aboard Bresil de Carnaval Santa Rosa (Mylord Carthago x Rosire) in third.