Allen corners glory with GK Casper in windy Doha

Rising Irish star Bertram Allen last night battled extremely windy conditions and a strong field to guide GK Casper to glory in the day’s feature event at the Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) season-opening event.

GK Casper produced a fast yet slick ride to clock a winning time of 33.75 seconds in the jump-off battle against a field of 16 riders.

The 23-year-old Irishman picked up €36,450 after his ride, aged 11, sailed through his routine with consummate ease at Al Shaqab Arena.

A silver medallist at the LGCT Paris Grand Prix last year, Allen was thrilled with the outcome on day two of the new LGCT season.

“I have to give a lot of credit to my horse. It was very hard to beat Julien so I gave it everything. You had to catch everywhere exactly how you wanted it. If you had one place where you had one more stride, you were out,” Allen said yesterday.

Belgium’s Karel Cox, astride Dublin van Overis,  finsihed in second spot in a time of 34.07 seconds. The Belgian got richer by €29,160.

French star Julien Epaillard secured the third place on podium of the 1.50/1.55m class. Storming ahead with his 11-year-old gelding, Epaillard managed a flawless routine with Usual Suspect d’Auge    to win €21,870 in a time of 34.12 seconds.

Italy’s Alberto Zorzi (Danique, €14,580, 35.21 seconds) and Belgium’s Gregory Wathelet (Qualido €10,206, 35.64 seconds) completed the top five in the jump-off.

Great Britain’s (Hello Jefferson, €3,645 0, 36.89 seconds) finished 10th followed by Germany’s Ludger Beerbaum (Chiara €3,645 0, 4 faults, 34.62 seconds) in 11th.

Reigning LGCT champion Great Britain’s Ben Maher (Madame X 8.00) did not make it to the jump-off.

Earlier in competition three, French rider Nicola Philippaerts yesterday powered to victory in the 1.50m class with a faultless routine with H &M Ikker.

H & M Ikker clocked a time of 59.87 seconds at the state-of-the-art Al Shaqab Arena where Philippaerts - son of riding legend Ludo - won €12,550 for his convincing victory.

Philippaerts last year won Grands Prix at Cascais (H&M Harley vd Bisschop) and Chantilly (H&M Chilli Willi).

French rider Epaillard, astride Usual Suspect d’Auge, sealed the second spot in a time of 59.90 seconds. Epaillard guided the 11-year-old gelding with finesse to pick up €10,040.

The hugely popular Australian Edwina Tops-Alexander also made it to the podium with Veronese Teamjoy to collect valuable points on day two of the new LGCT season.

Veronese Teamjoy, a 10-year-old mare, clocked 63.60 seconds as the riding veteran got richer by €7,530.

Dutch rider Kim Emmen, astride Farah, and Yuri Mansur Guerios, in the saddle with Carlson, completed the top five out of 24 riders.

Farah clocked 64.91 seconds as Emmen won €5,020. Carlson, aged 11, clocked 65.22 seconds as Guerios won €3,154.

Qatar’s Bassem Mohammed (Argelith Squid, 86.02 seconds, 7 penalties) was way down at rank 21 followed by compatriot Faleh Al Ajami (Carport, 79.23 second, 9 penalties).

The season-opening leg concludes today with the second Global Champions League (GCL) round starting at 2:30pm.

The €375,000 LGCT Grand Prix - the feature event today - will start at 5:45pm at Al Shaqab Arena.