Press release from Longines Global Champions Tour, edited by World of Showjumping

Gilles Thomas (BEL) and the ever-consistent Luna van het Dennehof (Prince van de Wolfsakker x Quidam de Revel) delivered a masterclass of speed and precision to take victory in an electrifying jump-off at the Longines Global Champions Tour of London (GBR) to take the win in Saturday’s CSI5* 1.50m Lugano Trophy.

With 16 world-class horse-and-rider combinations returning for the jump-off, the stage was set for a showdown. Saving their best for second last, Thomas and Luna van het Dennehof powered around the shortened course in a scorching 41.39 seconds, finding forward distances at every opportunity and executing razor-sharp rollbacks that shaved crucial fractions off the clock.

Speaking after the win, Thomas praised his 14-year-old mare’s fighting spirit: "She’s incredible – she knows when it’s time to go fast and she loves the atmosphere here in London. In a jump-off like this, you need a horse who’s brave and careful, and Luna gives me that every time."

Abdel Saïd (BEL) and Calvaro (Cascadello x Quidam de Revel) looked to have the class sewn up after stopping the timers at 41.97 seconds, only to be pipped by Thomas’s perfectly judged round. Great Britain’s own Scott Brash gave the home crowd plenty to cheer about, piloting Hello Valentino (Diamantino x Careful) into third with a quick 43.02 seconds - just a whisker ahead of France’s Gregory Cottard and Cocaine du Val (Mylord Carthago x Si Tu Viens) in fourth in 43.03, followed by Pieter Devos (BEL) and Jarina J (Cicero Z x Harley) in fifth in 43.83.