Olympic 2024 teammates Harry Charles and Scott Brash dominate Doha’s feature Grand Prix to kick off 2026 in style
Wednesday 07 January 2026
British riders dominated the top-billed 4* Grand Prix as Harry Charles and Scott Brash seized the top two places to conclude Doha, Al Shaqab, Qatar, in style.
Thirty-three riders tackled German course-designer Olaf Petersen Jr’s 14-fence, 17-effort 1.55m track with time influencing the result, three incurring time faults only, including Harry’s wife Eve Jobs just 0.43 seconds over the time. Only six mastered the course, one dropping out at this stage to leave five to return for the jump-off.
“It wasn’t the biggest track I’ve ever jumped but the time was very tight and was the deciding factor and played a big part to make it challenging,” said Harry, who was competing Casquo Blue for the first time in six weeks. “He’s older now so I want to take care of him, so he doesn’t jump every week like some horses do. We don’t overjump our horses, so not doing a show in December is normal for us.”
Harry was first out of the gates and meant business on his father Peter and Stall Zet’s 16-year-old Casquo Blue (Chacco-Blue x Carthago Z) to set a challenging target for the rest. And he was still in the lead by a good margin as last to go Scott entered the arena on Hello Folie. He chased hard with Lady Harris and Lady Kirkham’s dynamic 11-year-old Luidam x Diamant De Semilly mare but crossed the finish line 0.28 seconds in arrears to take second place.
“I was first to go and my aim was to leave the jumps up; he’s not the fastest but he’s rideable and brave so I could take risks,” said Harry, and explained where he thought he got the edge – “I was pretty quick throughout the course and took out a stride after the double to do seven strides whereas Scott did eight.”
Harry is staying out in the Middle East until March.
“The weather is good at the moment, gets up to 21 degrees, a bit windy but not humid so a nice climate and the stables are all air-conditioned. The facilities here are great for the horses and riders,” he added.
Harry’s sister Sienna slotted Stardust into third in the 4* 1.50m. Thirty-eight riders contended this speed class, Sienna and the 16-year-old Chacco-Blue x Con Air 7 mare finishing 1.09 seconds off the pace. Scott eased Hello Mango into fifth.
Brits also claimed the top two places in the 2* Grand Prix as Olli Fletcher jumped to the top on Cajus 42 ahead of Millie Allen’s Quick Diamant HR. The 1.45m track reduced the 46 starters to 14 for the jump-off, Olli and Alison Walton’s Comme Il Faut 5 x Quidam’s Rubin 12-year-old flying into the top spot with 0.43 seconds to spare over Millie on Karel Cox Horses BV’s nine-year-old Diamant De Semilly daughter.
Millie and Quick Diamant had topped the 2* 1.45m speed 24 hours earlier, striding out in front to command a convincing win over their 37 rivals by two seconds. Millie also picked up third in a 25-horse 4* 1.45m two-phase with Quickly D VH Ijzerenlindehof 1.46 seconds behind the winning time.
Chad Fellows continues with his winning streak in the Middle East
Chad Fellows has clocked up several notable wins in 2025 the Middle East, and 2026 continued in the same vein with victory in Kuwait’s feature Grand Prix on NPS Klooney.
Twenty-seven competitors came forward over a 12-fence, 14-effort 1.45m course in the 2* Grand Prix with six providing initial clears, Chad claiming two of them. With all six posting double clears, the onus was firmly on time.
Nevertheless, Chad fired through the start and maintained a relentless pace on first ride NPS Klooney (NPS Super Nova x Toulon), to set a sizzling target from the front which proved unbeatable. Others came and went without denting the time, Chad winning by 0.89 seconds on the nine-year-old he purchased in 2024 as an inexperienced seven-year-old and rates highly. Chad slipped second ride Continent 7 into fifth.
Nick Channinh-Williams netted two of the top three places in the four-horse decider of the Medium Tour 1.35m Final. The Global Express VDL seven-year-old Gin Tonic 176 slotted into second place for Nick, more than four seconds behind the winner with the Arko III 13-year-old Darko Du Val Henry filling third place.
Image: Lukasz Kowalski
