(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Scott Brash of Great Britain yesterday €Žsuccessfully defended his world title with a sublime ride with Hello Sanctos on the final day of the Longines Global Champions Tour season.
While 28-year-old Scott celebrated his world title with a round to spare, Sweden's Rolf-Goran€Ž Bengtsson, 52, produced a breathtaking run with Casall Ask to win the Grand Prix of Doha to claim the winner's bag of ‚¬148,500 at Al Shaqab Arena.
Bengtsson clocked a time of 40.46secs.
Portugal's Luciana Diniz with Fit For Fun finished in second spot (43.85secs) while Canada's Yann Candele with Showgirl ended in third spot (43.20secs) after being penalised with four penalties in round one.
Diniz bagged ‚¬90,000 for her efforts while Candele walked off ‚¬67,500 richer.
Scott - the eventual world champion in 2014 - ended yesterday's Grand Prix of Qatar in fourth spot while home rider Qatar's Bassem Hassan €ŽMohammed wound up the competition in fifth spot.
The Briton bagged ‚¬45,000 for his fourth-place finish while Qatar's Bassem picked up ‚¬27,000.
Scott, the team gold medallist at the Olympic Games in London, said: "It was a fantastic day. It is a great, great feeling to have won the title. The horse was so consistent. We are a happy lot."
Earlier in round one of the Grand Prix of Qatar, title hopeful Germany's Ludger Beerbaum with Zinedine failed to qualify for the jump off after a sluggish display in round one which was soured by 16 penalties.
"It was not my day. I can always come back and show my mettle," Beerbaum said afterwards.
€ŽScott, who was awarded an MBE by the Queen following his 2012 London Olympic gold medal, grabbed the world title by finishing with a one-point advantage over Beerbaum but tied with second-placed Bengtsson.
However, Scott's more wins (3) than Bengtsson (2) allowed the Briton to secure the world title.
Brash would have had the chance to score fourth Grand Prix win of the season but his time penalty put him out of the final jump-off.
Beerbaum, who finished the season with 242 points, said: "I have to accept that what these guys did was world-class. And then to be dropped off from first place to third place makes it obvious that I am disappointed."
The four-time Olympic gold medal winner for Germany added: "Everybody can understand my feelings. It is not statistics or mathematics in the end. I have to accept that they were better in the finish. They were simply - to the finish - better. I have to accept the situation."
Bengtsson said: "My only chance to do something was to come here and compete. I knew that to get here (in second spot) I had to be here (in Doha). It
ended up like that today. My horse was good. But Scott did what he has done many, many times before."
He added: "We finished with same points but he has three wins and I had two wins. It was really, really close."
Scott was delighted with his win.
"I must say that Sanctos was incredible all year," Scott said. "I have to pinch myself," he added.
"Such horses don't come too often so I have to enjoy this win," the Briton said. "I have to make the most of his form."
About his three Grand Prix wins this year, Scott said: "Yeah, it was special year and he (Sanctos) is a winner. He has been jumping a lot and is used to winning. He has been phenomenal and he is an incredible horse."
Jan Tops, the President and creator of the GCT series, applauded Bassem's performance.
"He gave it his best. It was a great week for him. He couldn't have gone any further," Tops said.
"It shows that he is a consistent rider. Hopefully we will see them on the podium. It is nice to work with Qatar," he added.
Al Shaqab executive director Fahad Al Qahtani said: "Firstly, I have to thank the volunteers for their efforts. We have to honestly applaud their work. The magnificent riders presented a great display of artistic riding. We are yet to achieve the true potential of this great facility. But I am confident that we will be able to do that in future."
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