SPORT Sunday 11 November 2018 PAGE | 27 PAGE | 29 Root wants England Spain’s Sergio Garcia to build on rare keeps lead in road win South Africa Explosion W shows solid pace as Maher corners Grand Prix glory RIZWAN REHMAT British rider Ben Maher guides Explosion W over an obstacle on his way to winning the THE PENINSULA LONGINES GLOBAL CHAMPIONS TOUR LGCT Grand Prix at Al Shaqab Arena yesterday. CLASS 06: DOHA 2018 CSI5* 1.60 M DOHA: British show jumping star Ben Maher last night Rank Rider, Horse, Prize Money, (Penalties), Time relied on the blistering pace of Explosion W to win the 1 Ben Maher, Explosion W, €123,750, 35.50 seconds Grand Prix at Al Shaqab Arena. 2 Peder Fredricson, Hansson WL, €75,000, 36.34 seconds The last one out of the blocks in the jump-off, Maher 3 Harrie Smolders, Don VHP Z N.O.P., €56,250, 36.94 seconds 4 Lorenzo de Luca, Irenice Horta, €37,500, 37.19 seconds had a clear target: he had to beat the time of 36.34 5 Edwina Tops-Alexander, California, €22,500, 37.71 seconds seconds set by Swedish giant Peder Fredrickson astride 6 Pieter Devos, Espoir, €16,875, (4 penalties), 38.21 Hanson WL. 7 Athina Onassis, MHS Going Global, €11,250, (4 penalties), 47.91 seconds Right on cue, Explosion W galloped with pace and 8 Laura Kraut, Zeremonie, €9,375, (8 penalties), 37.63 seconds style from the start to clock a trophy-winning time of 9 Shane Breen, Golden Hawk, € 7,500, (12 penalties),36.96 seconds 35.50 seconds to bag the top prize on the last day of 10 Gregory Wathelet, MJT Nevados S, €7,500, (4 penalties), 70.81 seconds the final round of LGCT. The nine-year-old gelding never looked in trouble in the 1:60m competition as he finished the regular season with yet another win worth a staggering €123,750. Explosion W, who finished in second spot in Shanghai earlier in the year, roared to wins in Rome, Ramatuelle/Saint Tropez and Madrid to complete a stellar year for his British rider. Maher, 35, chose his words carefully to recap his spectacular riding season in 2018. “It has been absolutely a great season. I have such a good bond (with Explosion W) which has been created in such a short period of time. He makes my life easier,” he added. “The jump-off didn’t go as planned but we got on well. He’s naturally fast,” Maher revealed yesterday. “It has been a massive rise for him. (He is) simply a great horse. I got him when he was seven but I He (Maher) was finally got him in Shanghai. out of our league: He has been incredible. Current World No1 “All credit to my team. Harrie Smolders It is not just me and the horse. There are lot of people with a lot of effort making us great on the field,” the Briton said. Maher said the Doha win was yet to sink in. “I can’t quite get in yet. He believes in me and I believe in him,” he added with a rare smile. London Knights seal 2018 team title Earlier, Dutchman Harrie Smolders - who was fifth THE PENINSULA one out on the track - narrowly missed out beating the then winning time set by Fredricson. Showing great work on the straight lines, Smolders DOHA: Producing a top- clocked a time of 36.94 seconds with Don VHP Z N.O.P. notch performance at Al Fredricson broke into a wry smile as World No.1 Shaqab Arena, London Smolders failed to find winning pace at the end. Knights yesterday sealed Second-placed Fredricson got richer by €75,000 the Global Champions while Smolders bagged €56,250 for securing the third League (GCL) Champi- spot on the podium. onship title as Ben Maher Italy’s Lorenzo de Luca (Irenice Horta, 37.19 and Nicola Philippaerts seconds, €37,500) and Australia’s Edwina Tops-Alex- managed flawless routines ander (California, 37.71 seconds, €22,500) rounded up to grab the top prize in the the top five. Qatari capital. Earlier, defending champion and home hero The pair has now sealed Bassem Mohammed could not come anywhere near their semi-finals berth at his last year’s performance when he suffered with pen- the €12m GCL Super Cup alties astride Gunder. Play-offs that take place The 12-year-old gelding clocked a time of 70.86 next month. seconds but the effort was dented by three faults. The stand out combi- Despite not qualifying for the jump-off, the premier nation of the season Maher Qatar rider - 31 - enjoyed one of his finest weekends (Explosion W) along with at home by winning two competitions on the opening team mate Philippaerts day of the three-day LGCT final round at Al Saqab. (H&M Chilli Willi) faced “I had a good season. I was on the podium few down ferocious pressure The winners London Knights celebrate on the podium after receiving the trophy from Jan Tops (second right), times this year. I won few classes also with Argelith and rode perfect clear founder of Longines Global Champions Tour yesterday. Squid, so I had a good season,” the popular Qatari rider rounds to win both the GLC said as he completed his outings for the year. final leg in Doha and the overall GCL team GCL TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP Ben Maher will be the one to watch at championship. win. It has been a strong guaranteeing the team 4th Rank Team, (Penalties), Time the new €12m GC Play-offs next month The London Knights team spirit from the start place in the overall ranking 1: London Knights (No errors, 144.69 secs) pairing finished the regular and we used all our horses to head straight to the semi Nicola Philippaerts (H&M Chilli Willi), Ben Maher (Explosion W) in Prague from December 13 to 16 at the season with a staggering and riders.” finals of the GCL Super Cup. 2: Miami Celtics (Two errors, 150.26 secs) O2 Arena. prize bag of €2,37m. There were incredible Doha Fursan Qatar finished Jessica Springsteen (RMF Swinny du Parc), Michael Duffy (Quintano 35, Egalini) Speaking about the GCL battles between the top yesterday’s final round in 3: Rome Gladiators (Four errors, 148.63 secs) win for the London Knights, teams and feisty clears from fifth spot after Britain’s Lorenzo de Luca (Irenice Horta), Laura Kraut (Zeremonie) Maher’s incredible performance during Maher, who has pulled off Jessica Springsteen and U25 Michael Whitaker and 4: Shanghai Swans(Nine errors, 146.35 secs) the season secured the Championship at an extraordinary double by rider Michael Duffy of the home hero Bassem Daniel Deusser (Calisto Blue), Shane Sweetnam (Indra van de Oude Heihoef) the last leg in Rome netting almost €1m already winning the LGCT Miami Celtics rocketed them Mohammed managed a 5: Doha Fursan Qatar (10 errors, 151.51 secs) Michael Whitaker (Strides Hilanasterne), Bassem Mohammed (Gunder) in prize money in the individual alone. Championship, said: “It has into second place at the final tally of 151.51 seconds. been an incredible season. and secured third place in Valkenswaard United, TOP FIVE TEAMS OF THE SEASON: Explosion W has been a the overall GCL season the main challengers to the Riding the crest of a wave the British Rank Team Points Prize Money great horse all season, I ranking. Miami Celtics fin- Knights all season, were 1 London Knights 353.00 €2,371,245 rider was also the main anchor of the really trust him.” ished the season with unable to deliver the result 2 Valkenswaard United 313.00 €1,681,479 dominant London Knights who won the Paying tribute to team €1,08m in their kitty. they needed in Doha and 3 Miami Celtics 269.00 €1,082,557 owner Emily Moffitt and Rome Gladiators’ Laura finished second in the 4 Rome Gladiators 256.00 €720,454 final of the GCL team championship on her family of Poden Farms, Kraut and Zeremonie held overall ranking of the team 5 Shanghai Swans 253.00 €666,895 the same day. Maher added: “It is fantastic their nerve and went clear championship winning ** 12 Doha Fursan Qatar 197.00 €358,110 with the London Knights in a pivotal round €1.68m. 28 SPORT SUNDAY 11 NOVEMBER 2018 Granlund Bottas, Hamilton set the pace as powers Minnesota Mercedes top timesheets in Brazil to 5-1 win AP REUTERS spraying foam on the car after he retired from the race. ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA: SAO PAULO: Mercedes returned “It ruined the turbo and the Mikael Granlund had two to the top of the timesheets on other turbo that Daniel has in his goals and an assist as the Friday in practice for a Brazilian pool was on the engine that Minnesota Wild swept the Grand Prix that looks set to failed in Austin,” said Horner. Southern California part of deliver them a fifth successive “And Renault say that every time their road trip with a 5-1 Formula One constructors’ they’ve run a turbo after a failure victory over the Anaheim World Championship. like that, they usually stop after Ducks on Friday night. Finland’s Valtteri Bottas, who 400km. Minnesota, which has yet to win in a season dom- “We don’t really want to put defeated Los Angeles 4-1 on inated by team-mate Lewis him in that position.” Thursday, had a 43-20 Hamilton, set the fastest time of Force India’s Esteban Ocon advantage in shots as it dom- one minute 08.846 seconds on will also have a five-place drop inated throughout.