Abdel Said took his first five-star Grand Prix victory under the colours of the Belgian flag, when taking the top honours in Sunday's CSI5* 1.60m Grand Prix at Hubside Jumping in Grimaud, France – worth €200,000.

Seven pairs from a field of 31 cleared the first round track set by the Spanish course designer Javier Trenor. Riding the 10-year-old Bandit Savoie (Qlassic Bois Margot x Alcamera de Moyon), Said was the quickest in the jump-off, stopping the clock at 45.12 seconds and taking home the win. 

"I am really happy with Bandit, and that he is back in form," Said told World of Showjumping. "I think he had a great season, obviously with winning a Grand Prix in the States, then in Rome, in Knokke before the Olympics. The Olympics was really disappointing for me. But I am really happy that he came back in form so quick. I could feel that I was over-riding him a little bit after the Games, like in Brussels, and even in Rome the first day. We got the click back together, he was fourth in the Grand Prix and then straight away here winning the Grand Prix in Grimaud."

"I think in the jump-off, we all had more or less the same route," Said explained about his tactics behind the win. "Bandit is naturally fast across the ground. There was an option of either seven or eight to the last, and the seven were long but I needed to do that to win and it was nice for me to feel that he could get up there. I am really, really happy and very proud of him. He is only ten years old, and I have been riding him less than a year and he already achieved some incredible results – winning two five-star Grand Prix classes. I think he is a great horse." 

Ireland's Mark McAuley on Jasco Vd Biscchop (Dulf van den Bisschop x Krunch de Breve) had to settle for the runner-up position, only fractions behind Said with a time of 45.48. Rene Lopez Lizarazo (COL) on Kheros Van'T Hoogeinde (Echo Van'T Spieveld x Darco) took the third place, while Bruno Garez (FRA) on United Sunheup (Balougan x Brett Saint Clair) placed fourth and Pedro Veniss (BRA) on Boeckmanns Lord Pezi Junior (Böckmann's Lord Pezi x Quattro 7) fifth.